5CE3™ 


GEORGE  WHARTON 


JAMES 


niiwH«fm»wui»tmwfnwttiwniiiii)mwii|»wnMiiii 


Univ 


gi^fjllinois  Libra, 


L 161— H41 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/inoutofoldmissio00jame_0 


IN  AND  OUT 


OF  THE 


OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


BOOKS  BY  GEORGE  WHARTON  JAMES. 


IN  AND  AROUND  THE  GRAND  CANYON  OF  THE 
COLORADO  RIVER  IN  ARIZONA. 

THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  PAINTED  DESERT  RE- 
GION. 

INDIAN  BASKETRY.  Third  Edition.  With  illustra- 
tions $2.50  net. 

PRACTICAL  BASKET-MAKING.  116  pages,  in  burlap, 
illustrated.  $1.00  net. 

TRAVELERS’  HANDBOOK  TO  SOUTHERN  CALI- 
FORNIA. Cloth,  500  pages,  illustrated.  $1.00  net. 


In  Preparation: 

THE  REALITIES  AND  ROMANCES  OF  THE  COL- 
ORADO DESERT. 

IN  AND  OUT  OF  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  NEW 
MEXICO,  ARIZONA,  TEXAS,  AND  LOWER  CAL- 
IFORNIA. 


MSf  CARLOS  MISSION  ANE  BAY  OF  MONTEREY  — Frontispiece. 


IN  AND  OUT 

OF 

THE  OLD  MISSIONS 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

AN  HISTORICAL  AND  PICTORIAL 
ACCOUNT  OF 

THE  FRANCISCAN  MISSIONS 


BY 

GEORGE  WHARTON  JAMES 

AUTHOR  OF 

“IN  AND  AROUND  THE  GRAND  CANYON,”  “INDIANS 
OF  THE  TAINTED  DESERT  REGION  ” 

“ INDIAN  BASKETRY,”  ETC. 


WITH  142  ILLUSTRATIONS  FROM  PHOTOGRAPHS 


BOSTON 

LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND  COMPANY 
1907 


Copyright , 1905, 

By  Edith  E.  Farnsworth 

All  rights  reserved 

Published  November,  1905 


printers 

S.  J.  Parkhill  & Co.,  Boston,  U.  S.  A. 


TO  SCRAGGLES, 

MY  PET  SPARROW  AND  COMPANION 


2 

< 

a 

CQ 

U! 

a 


gAINT  FRANCIS } the  founder  of  the  Franciscan  order,  without 
whom  there  would  probably  have  been  no  missions  in  California, 
regarded  the  birds  as  his  “ little  brothers  and  sisters”  Just  as  I 
began  the  actual  writing  of  this  book  I picked  up  in  the  streets  a tiny 
song  sparrow,  wounded,  unable  to  fly,  and  that  undoubtedly  had  been 
thrust  out  of  its  nest.  In  a short  time  we  became  close  friends  and 
inseparable  companions.  Hour  after  hour  she  sat  on  my  foot,  or, 
- ^fetter  still,  perched,  with  head  under  her  wing,  on  my  left  hand,  while 
f - I wrote  with  the  other.  Nothing  I did,  such  as  the  movement  of  books, 
turning  of  leaves,  etc.,  made  her  afraid.  When  I left  the  room  she 
) hopped  and  fluttered  along  after  me.  She  died  just  as  the  book  was 
5 receiving  its  finishing  pages.  On  account  of  her  ragged  and  unkempt 

appearance  I called  her  Scraggles ; and  to  her,  a tiny  morsel  of 
> animation,  but  who  had  a keen  appreciation  and  reciprocation  of  a 
n large  affection,  I dedicate  this  book . 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


Chapter  Page 

I.  The  Founding  of  the  California  Missions  . . 1 

II.  JuNIPERO  SeRRA  AND  HIS  COADJUTORS  ....  44 

III.  The  Indians  at  the  Coming  of  the  Padres  . 53 

IV.  The  Indians  under  the  Padres 72 

V.  The  Secularization  of  the  Missions  ....  84 

THE  CALIFORNIA  MISSIONS 

VI.  San  Diego  de  Alcala 101 

VII.  San  Carlos  Borromeo 117 

VIII.  San  Antonio  de  Padua 133 

IX.  San  Gabriel,  Arcangel 139 

X.  San  Luis,  Obispo  de  Tolosa 150 

XI.  San  Francisco  de  Asis 156 

XII.  San  Juan  Capistrano 165 

XIII.  Santa  Clara  de  Asis 172 

XIV.  San  Buenaventura 180 

XV.  Santa  Barbara 188 

XVI.  La  Purisima  Concepcion 202 

XVII.  Santa  Cruz 210 

XVIII.  La  Soledad 216 

XIX.  San  Jose  de  Guadalupe 222 

XX.  San  Juan,  Bautista 231 

XXL  San  Miguel,  Arcangel 239 

XXII.  San  Fernando,  Rey  de  Espagna 245 


Vlll 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


Chapter  Page 

XXIII.  San  Luis,  Rey  de  Francia 252 

XXIV.  Santa  Ines 26l 

XXV.  San  Rafael,  Arcangel 267 

XXVI.  San  Francisco  Solano 272 

XXVII.  The  Mission  Chapels  or  Asistencias  . . . 276 

1.  Los  Angeles 276 

2.  San  Miguel 280 

3.  San  Miguelito 280 

4.  Santa  Isabel  (San  Diego) 280 

5.  Mesa  Grande 281 

6.  San  Bernardino 282 

7.  Santa  Margarita  (San  Luis  Obispo)  . . 287 

8.  Santa  Isabel  (San  Miguel)  ....  289 

9.  San  Antonio  de  Pala 289 

XXVIII.  The  Present  Condition  of  the  Mission  Indians  292 

XXIX.  Distinctive  Features  of  Mission  Architec- 
ture   310 

XXX.  Interior  Decorations  of  the  Missions  . . 330 

XXXI.  The  Furniture  and  Other  Wood-work  of  the 

Missions 342 

XXXII.  The  Silver  and  Brass  Ware  of  the  Missions  351 

XXXIII.  A Chapter  of  Saints 357 

XXXIV.  The  Pious  Fund  of  California 370 

XXXV.  The  Camino  Real 379 

XXXVI.  The  Preservation  of  the  Missions  ....  383 

XXXVII.  How  to  Reach  the  Missions 389 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Plate  Page 

I.  San  Carlos  Mission  and  Bay  of  Monterey  . Frontispiece 

II.  Santa  Ines  Mission 2 

III.  a.  San  Diego  Mission 13 

b.  San  Carlos  Mission 13 

IV.  Figure  of  Christ,  Mission  San  Jose  Orphanage  . . 16 

V.  a.  San  Gabriel  Mission 23 

b.  San  Luis  Obispo  Mission  before  Restoration  . . 23 

VI.  a.  Sacristy  Side  of  Doorway,  San  Juan  Bautista  . . 25 

b.  Curved  Arch  over  Chapel  Doorway,  San  Luis  Rey  25 

VII.  a.  Fachada  of  San  Francisco  Mission 30 

b.  Fachada  of  San  Buenaventura  Mission  ....  30 

VIII.  a.  Tiled  Pyramidal  Roof  to  Bell  Tower,  Monterey  . 34 

b.  Mission  Bell  at  Santa  Barbara 34 

IX.  Altar  in  Mortuary  Chapel,  San  Luis  Rey  ....  39 

X.  a.  Santa  Barbara  Mission 42 

b.  Santa  Clara  Mission  in  1849  42 

XI.  Title-page  of  Marriage  Register  of  San  Luis  Obispo, 

in  President  Serra’s  Handwriting 48 

XII.  a.  Figure  of  Christ’s  Agony  in  the  Garden  ...  52 

b.  Figure  of  Christ,  San  Diego  Mission 52 

XIII.  a.  Aged  Indian  Neophyte,  San  Luis  Rey  Mission  . 63 

b.  Indian  Washing  in  Creek  above  Pala 63 

XIV.  Aged  Indians  at  San  Juan  Capistrano 

a.  Aguida 66 

b.  Martinia 66 

XV.  Square  Bricked  Doorway,  San  Juan  Capistrano  . . 74 

XVI.  Stone  Arched  Doorway,  Santa  Margarita  Chapel . . 76 


X LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Plate  Page 

XVII.  a.  Street  at  Palatingwa  (Hot  Springs),  Warner’s 

Ranch 79 


b.  Basket-makers  at  Work  at  Palatingwa  ...  79 

XVIII.  a.  Main  Entrance  Arch  at  San  Diego  Mission  . 86 

b.  Distributing  Arch  of  Adobe  at  San  Antonio  . 86 

XIX.  a.  Doorway  leading  to  Sacristy,  San  Carlos  Car- 

melo 93 

b.  Doorway  at  Presidio  Church,  Monterey  . . 93 

XX.  a.  Figure  of  Our  Lady  as  Queen  of  Heaven, 

Santa  Barbara 103 

b.  Figure  of  the  Holy  Virgin  Mother  . . . . 103 

c.  Figure  of  Santa  Lucia 103 

d.  Figure  of  Santa  Ines 103 

XXI.  a.  Figure  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  Santa 

Clara 108 

b.  Figure  of  St.  Stephen,  Santa  Clara  . . . . 108 

c.  Processional  Cross  (Front),  Santa  Ines  . . . 108 

d.  Processional  Cross  (Reverse),  Santa  Ines  . . 108 

XXII.  Ruined  Corridors  at  San  Antonio  de  Padua  . . 125 

XXIII.  Title-page  of  Register  of  San  Luis  Obispo,  in 

the  Handwriting  of  Padre  Palou  . . . 135 

XXIV.  Six  Arches  at  San  Juan  Capistrano 151 

XXV.  a.  Arched  Cloisters  at  San  Juan  Capistrano  . . 166 

b.  Presidio  Church,  Monterey 166 

XXVI.  a.  Entrance  to  San  Juan  Capistrano  Chapel  . . 172 

b.  Elliptical  Arches  of  Differing  Axes  at  San 

Juan  Capistrano 172 

XXVII.  Painting  of  the  Miracle  of  the  Loaves  and 

Fishes,  Santa  Clara 179 

XXVIII.  a.  Interior  of  San  Buenaventura  Mission  . . . 183 

b.  Interior  of  San  Antonio  de  Padua  Mission  . 183 

XXIX.  Interior  of  Santa  Barbara  Mission 191 

XXX.  a.  Bells  of  San  Juan  Capistrano  Mission  . . . 203 

b.  Ruins  of  La  Purisima  Mission 203 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Plate 

XXXI. 

XXXII. 

XXXIII. 

XXXIV. 

XXXV. 

XXXVI. 

XXXVII. 

XXXVIII. 

XXXIX. 

XL. 

XLI. 

XLII. 

XLIII. 


XLIV. 


xi 
Page 

a.  Santa  Cruz  Mission 211 

b.  Santa  Barbara  Mission  and  Fountain  . . 211 

a.  Ruins  of  La  Soledad  Mission 217 

b.  Ruins  of  La  Soledad  Mission 217 

Procession  of  Sisters  and  Orphans  at  Mission 

San  Jose 228 

a.  Fachada  of  San  Juan  Bautista  Mission  . . 232 

b.  Ruins  of  San  Juan  Capistrano  Mission  . . 232 

Interior  of  San  Miguel  Mission  from  the  Choir 


Gallery 241 

a.  San  Miguel  Mission  and  Corridors  . . . 247 

b.  Restored  Monastery  and  Mission  Church  of 

San  Fernando 247 

a.  San  Luis  Rey  Mission 253 

b.  San  Francisco  Solano  Mission  at  Sonoma  . 253 

a.  San  Antonio  de  Padua  Mission 259 


b.  Graveyard  and  Rear  of  Santa  Ines  Mission  259 
Padre  Peyri,  the  Founder  of  San  Luis  Rey  . 262 

Garden  Entrance  at  San  Luis  Rey  ....  269 

a.  Brush  Church,  Bells,  and  Cross  at  Santa 

Isabel 277 

b.  Campanile  and  Chapel,  San  Antonio  de 

Pala 277 

Main  Doorway  at  Santa  Margarita  Chapel  . . 289 

a.  Figure  of  San  Jose 302 

b.  Figure  of  San  Antonio  de  Padua,  Santa 

Barbara 302 

c.  Figure  of  San  Antonio  de  Padua,  San 

Carlos 302 

d.  Figure  of  San  Juan  Capistrano  ....  302 

a.  Figure  of  Christ  Disputing  in  the  Temple  . 307 

b.  Figure  of  the  Archangel  Gabriel  ....  307 

c.  Figure  of  the  Archangel  Michael  . . . 307 

d.  Figure  of  the  Archangel  Raphael  . . . 307 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


xii 

Plate  Page 

XLV.  a.  Door  into  Cemetery,  Santa  Barbara  . . . . 311 

b.  Side  Entrance  at  San  Buenaventura  . . . 311 

XLVI.  a.  Doorway  at  San  Antonio  de  Padua  . . . . 317 

b.  Auxiliary  Arch  at  San  Juan  Capistrano  . . 317 

XLVII.  a.  Wooden  Statue  at  San  Miguel  Mission  . . 329 

b.  Corbels  and  Rafters  of  San  Miguel  Mission  . 329 

XLVIII.  a.  Old  Pulpit  at  San  Miguel  Mission  ....  331 

6.  Junction  of  Choir  and  Church  Zones  of  Dec- 
oration, San  Miguel  Mission 331 

XLIX.  a.  Old  Confessional  at  San  Miguel 335 

b.  Doorway  leading  into  Sacristy  at  Santa  Ines  . 335 

L.  a.  Wall  Decoration  in  the  Sacristy,  Santa 


Ines 337 

b.  Wall  Decoration,  San  Juan  Capistrano  . . . 337 

LI.  a.  Reredos  and  Side  Altar,  San  Luis  Rey  . . . 341 

b.  Mural  Decorations  at  Pala  Chapel  ....  341 

LI  I.  a.  Mission  Bench  at  Los  Angeles  Chapel  . • . 343 

b.  Confessional  at  San  Juan  Capistrano  . . . 343 

LIII.  a.  Chair  in  Relic  Room,  Santa  Clara  ....  345 

b.  Chair  at  San  Juan  Bautista 345 

c.  Chair  in  Relic  Room,  Santa  Barbara  . . . 345 

d.  Chair  at  San  Buenaventura 345 

LIV.  a.  Receptacle  for  Ecclesiastical  Vessels,  San  Juan 

Bautista 347 

b.  Brackets,  Shelf,  and  Cupboard,  Santa  Bar- 

bara   347 

c.  Confessional,  San  Buenaventura 347 

d.  Pulpit,  San  Luis  Rey 347 

LV.  a.  Pulpit,  San  Juan  Bautista 349 

b.  Confessional,  Santa  Ines 349 

LVI.  a.  Entrance  Doors,  San  Miguel 352 

b.  Entrance  Doors,  San  Luis  Obispo  . . • . 352 

c.  Paschal  Candlestick,  Santa  Barbara  . . . . 352 

d.  Music  Desk,  San  Juan  Bautista 352 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS  xiii 

Plate  Page 

LVII.  a.  Wooden  Candlesticks  and  Crucifix,  Santa  Ines  353 

b.  Wooden  Processional  Cross,  Santa  Barbara  . 353 

c.  Missal  Stand  for  Altar  Use,  Santa  Clara  . . 353 

d.  Font  for  Holy  Water,  San  Miguel  ....  353 

LVIII.  a.  Movable  Wooden  Belfry,  Santa  Barbara  . . 355 

b.  Matraca,  or  Clapper,  Santa  Barbara  . . . . 355 

c.  Carved  Top  of  Baptismal  Font,  San  Juan 

Capistrano 355 

d.  Wooden  Chandelier,  Santa  Barbara  ....  355 

LIX.  a.  Processional  Cross  (Front),  Presidio  Church, 

Monterey 357 

b.  Processional  Cross  (Reverse),  Presidio  Church, 

Monterey 357 

c.  Processional  Cross  (Front),  San  Buenaventura  357 

d.  Processional  Cross  (Reverse),  San  Buenaven- 

tura   357 

LX.  a.  Processional  Candlestick,  Monterey  . . . . 359 

b.  Altar  Candlestick,  Monterey 359 

c.  Altar  Candlestick,  San  Juan  Capistrano  . . 359 

d.  Altar  Candlestick,  Monterey 359 

LXI.  a.  Altar  Vessels,  San  Luis  Obispo 36 1 

b.  Silver  Vessels  for  Baptismal  Elements,  San 

Luis  Obispo 36 1 

LXII.  a.  Altar  Candlestick,  San  Luis  Obispo  . . . 363 

b.  Altar  Candlestick,  San  Luis  Obispo  ....  363 

c.  Altar  Candlestick,  San  Juan  Capistrano  . . 363 

LXIII.  a.  Asperger  of  Moorish  Design 371 

b.  Asperger  at  Monterey 371 

c.  Asperger  at  San  Juan  Bautista 371 

d.  Baptismal  Font  of  Hammered  Copper  at  San 

Luis  Obispo 371 

LXIV.  a.  Figure  of  San  Buenaventura,  Mission  San  Jose  375 
b.  Our  Lady  of  Sorrows,  Presidio  Church,  Mon- 
terey   375 

e.  Figure  of  San  Luis  Obispo 375 


xiv  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Plate  Page 

LXV.  a.  Rear  of  San  Gabriel  Mission 381 

b.  Corridors  at  San  Fernando 381 

LXVI.  a.  Side  of  San  Luis  Rey  Mission 387 

b.  In  the  Garden  of  Los  Angeles  Chapel  . . . 387 


FOREWORD 


THE  following  pages  are  not  offered  as  an  original 
contribution  to  the  subject  of  the  Franciscan 
Missions  in  California.  I am  not  a Spanish 
scholar,  hence  I have  consulted  no  “ original  Spanish 
records,”  nor  have  I “ brought  to  light  important  matters 
hitherto  unknown.”  I am  but  one  of  the  great  mass  of 
laymen  who  love  the  Old  Missions  for  their  own  sake,  for 
their  history,  for  the  noble  deeds  they  have  enshrined,  for 
the  good  their  builders  did  — and  more  than  what  they 
actually  did,  what  they  sought  to  do  — for  the  Indians, 
whom  the  later  comers,  my  own  race,  have  treated  so  abom- 
inably. For  nearly  twenty-five  years  I have  venerated 
them ; I have  made  pilgrimages  to  them ; and  several  times 
sent  both  artists  and  photographers  to  bring  me  their  im- 
pressions of  them.  My  own  camera,  with  me,  has  peered 
into  every  kind  of  nook  and  cranny,  and  thousands  of 
photographs  and  many  mental  impressions  are  the  result. 
So  now  I put  some  of  these  on  paper  for  others  to  share 
with  me. 

Experts  have  studied  the  history  and  digested  it,  and  in 
my  own  readings  I have  browsed  and  culled  wherever  I 
could  find  anything  that  I thought  would  help  make  this 
story  more  complete  and  interesting.  The  fields  from 
which  I have  reaped  are  many,  and  if,  for  any  reason,  save 
in  the  case  of  Bancroft,  I have  quoted  and  failed  to  give 
credit,  I tender  my  apologies  in  advance,  make  confession, 
and  ask  for  the  absolution  that  I am  sure,  were  I dealing 
with  one  of  the  old  padres,  would  generously  be  given. 

There  are  a few  chapters  upon  which  I have  bestowed 
especial  care,  and  in  the  presentation  of  which  I have  had 


XVI 


FOREWORD 


nothing  to  guide  me.  These  are  the  original  portions  of 
the  book.  The  features  that  I believe  have  not  been  pre- 
sented before,  or  at  least  so  fully,  are  as  follows:  1.  An 
analysis  of  the  Details  of  the  Mission  Style  of  Architec- 
ture. 2.  The  Condition  of  the  Indians  prior  to,  during, 
and  immediately  after  the  Mission  Epoch,  with  a Brief  Ac- 
count of  their  Present  State.  3.  A Careful  Survey  of  the 
Mural  Decorations  of  the  Missions.  4.  A Pictorial  Ac- 
count of  the  Furniture,  Pulpits,  Doors,  and  Other  Wood- 
work of  the  Missions.  5.  A Pictorial  Account  of  the 
Crosses,  Candlesticks,  and  Other  Silver  and  Brass  Ware 
of  the  Missions.  6.  A Pictorial  Account  of  the  Various 
Figures  of  the  Saints  at  the  Missions. 

If  any  one  objects  that  many  of  these  details  are  trivial 
and  unnecessary,  I can  only  say  that  I regret  that  time 
and  opportunity  were  not  afforded  me  to  make  them  more 
complete.  Every  year  is  bringing  these  Mission  memorials 
nearer  to  their  end,  and  it  is  important  that  even  all  the 
fragments,  however  trivial  and  unsatisfactory,  be  not  lost. 

While  making  acknowledgments  of  my  general  indebted- 
ness to  Bancroft,  Shea,  Salpointe,  Zephyrin,  Lummis, 
Palou,  Clinch,  I desire  to  note  my  especial  gratitude  to 
Bancroft  and  Zephyrin.  The  former,  in  spite  of  all  the 
opprobrium  and  censure  that  have  been  visited  upon  him, 
is  still  the  well  of  knowledge  from  which  even  his  traducers 
draw  most  of  their  stock  in  trade.  His  wonderful  work 
has  never  been  surpassed  in  any  history  of  any  people  yet 
written,  and,  in  spite  of  his  errors  and  failures,  common 
decency  at  least  should  lead  those  whose  hands  are  seldom 
away  from  his  books  to  an  honest  acknowledgment  of 
what  they  owe  to  him.  For  myself,  I confess  that  most  of 
the  historic  part  of  these  pages  is  taken  almost  bodily  from 
Bancroft.  I have  not  even  sought  to  disguise  from  my 
readers,  by  paraphrasing  the  matter,  the  source  of  its 
origin.  All  that  I have  done  is  to  select  and  arrange  it, 
and  bring  it  together  for  convenient  use. 


FOREWORD 


xvli 

To  Father  Zephyrin,  the  zealous  historian  of  the  Arizona 
and  California  Franciscans,  my  thanks  are  due  for  infor- 
mation cheerfully  given. 

I am  also  grateful  to  Messrs.  C.  C.  Pierce  & Co.,  of 
Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  whose  artistic  and  copyrighted  photo- 
graphs they  have  freely  allowed  me  to  use;  to  Gustav 
Stickley,  editor  and  proprietor  of  The  Craftsman , for 
permission  to  use  from  the  pages  of  that  magazine 
certain  articles  and  illustrations  which  he  aided  me  to 
procure;  to  Mrs.  A.  S.  C.  Forbes  for  needed  informa- 
tion; to  Mr.  Samuel  Howe,  of  New  York,  for  critical 
estimates  of  the  silverware  of  the  Missions,  and  to  Father 
O’Sullivan,  of  Santa  Clara,  for  many  kind  helps  and 
suggestions. 

I am  also  indebted  for  many  courtesies  to  His  Grace, 
Archbishop  Montgomery,  Bishop  Conaty,  and  all  the 
clergy  (with  but  two  exceptions)  who  now  officiate  at  the 
respective  Missions,  and  to  these  I tender  my  sincere  and 
cordial  thanks. 

It  will  be  well  for  the  reader  to  gain  a clear  idea  of  the 
meaning  of  certain  Spanish  words,  which  Americans  use 
with  too  great  laxity  of  meaning,  before  reading  further. 
In  establishing  their  settlements  the  civil,  religious,  and 
military  forces  of  the  Spanish  government  were  involved. 
A civic  settlement  was  called  the  pueblo. 

“ This  term,  in  its  most  extended  meaning,  may  embrace  towns 
of  every  description,  from  a hamlet  to  a city ; and  consequently 
might  apply  equally  well  to  the  missions,  with  their  adjacent 
Indian  villages  (called  by  the  Spaniards,  rancherias),  to  the 
small  villages  springing  up  around  the  presidios,  or  to  the 
regularly  settled  colony.  However,  in  its  special  significance, 
a pueblo  means  a corporate  town,  with  certain  rights  of  juris- 
diction and  administration.  . . . When  complete  it  had  a town 
council  (ayuntamiento),  composed  of  councilmen  (regidores), 
iudges  (alcaldes),  and  a mayor.”  1 

1 Blackmar’s  Spanish  Institutions  of  the  Southwest. 


FOREWORD 


xviii 

The  mission  was  the  religious  establishment,  under  the 
control  of  the  laws,  but  especially  directed  by  the  Padre 
Presidente  (father  president),  who  at  the  beginning  was 
Junipero  Serra.  The  ultimate  expectation  of  the  king  in 
establishing  the  Missions  was  that,  as  soon  as  the  Indians 
were  Christianized,  civilized,  and  self-supporting,  they  (the 
Missions)  were  to  be  converted  into  civil  pueblos,  the  Mis- 
sion churches  become  parish  churches,  and  the  missionary 
give  way  to  the  regular  parish  priest. 

The  presidio  was  the  fortress,  the  military  establishment, 
which  guarded  the  pueblo  and  the  mission.  As  settlers 
made  their  homes  around  it,  it  gradually  grew  into  the 
military  town. 

The  asistencia , or  chapel,  was  a branch  station  of  one  of 
the  Missions,  generally  located  where  there  was  a large 
rancher ia  (or  several  of  them)  too  far  away  from  the 
regular  Missions.  These  chapels  afforded  places  for  the 
services  of  the  church,  and  were  often  most  valuable  ad- 
juncts to  the  Mission  proper.  In  effect  they  were  the  same 
as  the  outside  stations  of  the  later  circuit  rider  of  early 
Methodist  days.  The  asistencia  was  sometimes  called  a 
visita , which  one  authority  thus  describes: 

“ A visita  was  a clerical  outpost  visited  or  to  be  visited  by  a 
padre  residing  elsewhere,  having  no  resident  minister  of  its  own. 
There  were  usually  several  such  in  the  vicinity  of  the  principal 
missions  where  resided  the  padre,  and  all  were  under  his  admin- 
istration ; all  also  were  considered  as  one  f mission  ’ — the  main 
one  with  its  pueblos  de  visita .” 

Padre  is  Spanish  for  “father,”  and  is  the  term  com- 
monly used  by  the  people  of  that  language,  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  to  designate  their  “ father  confessors.”  The  word 
has  come  to  have  a wider  meaning  to  Americans,  inas- 
much as  all  Catholic  priests  of  Spanish- American  days  are 
indiscriminately  termed  padres.  In  order,  however,  that 
there  might  be  no  possibility  of  misunderstanding,  I wrote 


FOREWORD 


xix 


to  Father  Zephyrin  asking  him  to  explain  their  use  of  the 
word  padre  and  its  abbreviation,  P.,  also  why  the  Spanish 
writers  invariably  designate  the  Franciscan  priests  as  Fr. 
this  or  that.  Here  is  his  lucid  reply  in  full: 

“ In  reply  to  your  question  as  to  why  we  use  Fr.  before  our 
names,  I have  to  say,  the  Fr.  stands  for  Fray,  which  is  Spanish 
for  the  Italian  Fra  and  the  Latin  Frater,  and  indicates  that  the 
person  so  designated  or  designating  himself  belongs  to  a Reli- 
gious Brotherhood,  notably  some  one  of  the  Mendicant  Orders, 
as  the  Dominicans,  Franciscans,  and  Capuchins,  also  Augustin- 
ians,  which  latter  Martin  Luther  had  entered.  The  term  is 
not  applicable  to  all  Religious  Orders;  for  instance,  the  Jesuit 
Fathers  are  never  so  designated.  All  the  members  of  the  Men- 
dicant Orders  are  Frailes  (plural  form  of  Fray),  or  Brothers ; 
therefore  each  one  uses  Fr.  in  writing  his  name. 

“ Some  of  the  members,  however,  are  priests,  and  some  are  not, 
nor  do  they  aspire  to  the  priesthood.  These  latter  are  termed 
laicos,  or  lay-brothers,  to  distinguish  them  from  the  priests,  who 
in  addition  place  P .,  Padre, = Father,  before  the  Fr.  or  Fray,  in 
order  to  indicate  their  standing  in  the  Brotherhood ; but  they 
both  follow  the  same  Rule.  A priest,  however,  only  uses  Fr., 
like  the  others,  unless  a distinction  is  called  for,  or  when  he  is 
addressed  by  another  person,  or  when  spoken  of  by  a third 
person.  Thus  in  all  the  California  records  the  144  or  146  mis- 
sionaries that  labored  in  the  twenty-one  Missions  always  sign 
themselves  Fr.  or  Fray  this  or  that ; whereas  when  they  write  of 
another  they  as  a rule  use  the  letters  P.  Fr.  Hence  it  is  im- 
possible for  any  one  not  conversant  with  the  standing  of  the 
missionaries  to  say  that  an}^  particular  one  was  either  a priest 
or  a simple  Brother,  because  all  have  the  Fr.  Only  those  thus 
designated  have  been  either  Franciscans  or  Dominicans.  It  is 
so  even  now.  However,  for  your  information  I will  add  that  in 
the  whole  California  history  down  to  1 854  not  one  lay-brother 
appears.  Every  one  was  a priest,  and  consequently  made  the 
usual  studies  of  a priest  more  or  less  thoroughly,  just  as  is  done 
now.  Some  were  brilliant,  some  less  so,  just  as  is  the  case  now 
with  students  of  every  branch  of  learning  and  of  every  calling  ; 
but  all  were  animated,  more  or  less  zealously  so,  with  the  same 
motive  : the  Christianization  and  the  civilization  of  the  natives.” 


XX 


FOREWORD 


During  the  early  years  and,  indeed,  throughout  the 
whole  of  the  last  century,  especially  after  American  occu- 
pation, there  was  much  confusion  in  the  use  of  the  name 
California.  During  the  time  of  the  founding  of  the  Mis- 
sions on  the  Peninsula,  California  meant  that  region  alone, 
practically  speaking.  Then,  when  Serra  began  his  work 
in  Alta  California,  the  two  were  distinguished  by  the  pre- 
fixes Baja  (Lower)  or  Antiqua  (Old),  and  Alta  (Higher) 
or  Nueva  (New).  But  now  to  all  United  States  Americans 
California  means  alone  the  State  of  that  name.  And  so 
it  will  be  used  throughout  this  book.  When  Lower  Cali- 
fornia, the  peninsula  belonging  to  Mexico,  is  meant,  it  will 
be  distinguished,  so  that  there  can  be  no  misapprehension. 
The  term  California  will  apply  solely  to  the  Golden  State 
of  the  United  States  of  North  America. 

In  describing  the  Mission  buildings  I have  used  the 
Spanish  fachada  instead  of  the  French  facade.  The 
former  is  as  good  American  as  the  latter,  and  I see  no 
reason  for  not  using  the  word  regularly.  It  is  pronounced 
fah-tchah-dah. 

I had  originally  intended  to  give  in  this  volume  the 
history  of  the  Missions  in  New  Mexico,  Arizona  (once  an 
integral  part  of  N.  M.),  Texas,  and  Lower  California; 
but  as  this  book  grew  it  was  found  impossible  without  con- 
densing to  such  an  extent  as  to  cripple  the  whole  narrative. 
So,  with  the  kind  acquiescence  of  my  obliging  publishers,  I 
have  written  nearly  all  I wished  to  say  in  these  pages,  and 
shortly  they  will  publish  a companion  volume  which  will 
fully  treat,  with  beautiful  illustrations,  of  the  missions  of 
those  equally  historic  and  fascinating  regions. 

GEORGE  WHARTON  JAMES 

August,  1905. 


IN  AND  OUT  OF  THE 
OLD  MISSIONS 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  CALIFORNIA  MISSIONS 

PERHAPS  nowhere  in  the  history  of  the  world  is 
there  to  be  found  a clearer  example  of  the  nothing- 
ness of  Time  and  Place  when  man  is  absent  than  is 
presented  in  the  history  of  California.  It  was  the  same 
California  that  it  is  now  long  centuries  before  Cabrillo  first 
discovered  it.  It  was  still  the  same  in  the  ages  that  it 
remained  practically  undisturbed  after  Cabrillo,  until  the 
time  of  Serra.  And  that  was  little  over  a century  and  a 
quarter  ago.  But  see  the  change  in  that  hundred  and 
thirty  years ! The  seed  of  man’s  enterprise  once  sown,  how 
its  fruits  sprang  forth! 

Not  the  wildest  conceptions  of  the  Mission  founders 
could  have  foreseen  the  results  of  their  California  enter- 
prises. To  see  the  land  that  they  found  in  the  possession 
of  thousands  of  rude  savages  converted  in  one  short  cen- 
tury into  the  home  of  tens  of  thousands  of  happy,  con- 
tented, progressive  people  would  have  been  a wild  vision 
indeed.  God  surely  does  work  mysteriously,  marvellously, 
His  wonders  to  perform,  and  nothing  is  more  wonderful 
than  the  rapid  settlement  of  California  with  the  choicest 
elements  of  America’s  Eastern  civilization. 

It  seems  almost  as  if  the  coming  of  Serra  and  his  coad- 
jutors— the  best  the  Spaniards  had  to  offer  of  earnest- 
ness, power,  ability,  and  sympathetic  brotherhood  — was 


2 THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


prophetic  of  what  the  future  had  in  store  for  California. 
America  was  to  give  of  its  best,  — East,  North,  South,  in 
its  Starr  King,  Joseph  and  John  LeConte,  Fremont,  and 
a host  of  others  for  its  physical,  mental,  and  spiritual 
development. 

The  East  has  not  yet  taken  the  full  measure  of  the  West, 
— not  even  as  well  as  did  Serra,  Crespi,  Palou,  and 
Lasuen.  The  spirit  of  those  men  is  still  in  the  air,  and  the 
results  are  beyond  the  ken  of  all  except  the  few  whose 
vision  is  prophetic.  The  Pacific  Coast  States  are  yet  in 
their  swaddling-clothes.  The  world  has  yet  to  be  astounded 
at  their  youth  and  matured  manhood. 

Many  and  diverse  are  the  elements  which  have  gone  into 
the  making  of  that  “ State  of  the  Golden  Gate  ” of  which 
Americans  generally  are  so  proud.  It  has  been  the  stage 
upon  which  strangely  different  actors  have  played  their 
part  — important  or  insignificant  — and  left  their  im- 
press where  they  played.  It  has  been  a composite  canvas 
upon  which  painters  of  every  school  have  practised  their 
art:  a vivid  mass  of  color  here,  a touch  there,  a single 
stroke  of  the  brush  yonder.  Then,  too,  look  at  it  as  you 
will,  stage  or  canvas,  it  had  a marvellous  natural  setting. 
Curtains,  side-wings,  drops,  scenes,  accessories,  suitable  for 
every  play,  adequate  for  every  requirement.  Tragedy? 
Great  mountains,  awful  snow  storms,  trackless  sand- 
wastes,  fearful  deserts,  limitless  canyons,  more  ocean  line 
than  any  other  of  the  North  American  States,  and  the 
densest  forests.  Comedy?  Semi-tropical  verdure,  orange 
blossoms,  carpets  of  flowers,  delicate  waterfalls,  the  sing- 
ing of  a thousand  varieties  of  birds,  the  gentlest  zephyrs* 
the  bluest  of  blue  skies.  What  wonder,  then,  as  its  history 
is  studied,  as  a whole  or  in  parts,  that  it  is  unusually  fasci- 
nating, and  that  it  presents  features  of  unique  interest? 

It  has  long  been  the  belief  of  the  English-speaking 
peoples  that  England  is  the  one  great  colonizing  power  of 
all  history ; and,  possibly,  if  extent  of  achievement  be  con- 


Plate  II 


Copyright,  1904,  by  C.  C.  Pierce  # Co. 


SANTA  INES  MISSION 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS 


3 


sidered  this  popular  conception  is  true.  Yet,  considering 
the  time  and  conditions  under  which  it  took  place,  the  stu- 
dent may  be  pardoned  if  he  is  inclined  to  give  to  Spain  the 
honor  and  credit  of  the  larger  achievement,  — larger  in 
the  difficulties  to  be  overcome ; larger  in  the  spirit  in  which 
it  was  undertaken ; larger  in  its  ultimate  results ; larger 
in  the  wisdom  by  which  its  operators  were  directed ; larger 
in  the  marvellous  manhood  it  developed.  The  discoveries 
of  Columbus  had  fired  the  imagination  of  the  bold  and 
adventurous  spirits  throughout  Europe.  They  believed 
that  the  nether  coast  of  India  had  been  discovered  by  sail- 
ing westward  instead  of  eastward  as  hitherto.  For  it  must 
not  be  overlooked  that  this  was  the  popular  belief  for  many 
decades  after  Columbus ; there  was  no  knowledge  that  a 
new  continent  had  been  discovered. 

Four  hundred  years!  How  much  may  transpire  in  that 
time.  Columbus  had  sailed  from  Palos,  Aug.  3,  1492,  in 
Spanish  ships  and  backed  by  Spanish  faith  and  money. 
Fifty  years  previously  the  Byzantine  Empire  had  sunk 
under  the  weight  of  Turkish  arms,  and  thus  Europe  was 
opened  up  to  vivifying  influences  from  both  East  and  West. 
The  dark  ages  were  coming  to  an  end.  A flood  of  literature 
and  learning,  science  and  art  was  released  from  the  East, 
and  the  discoveries  in  the  West  so  fired  men’s  imagination 
that  the  mental  and  spiritual  results  bid  fair  to  outrival 
the  material  benefits. 

The  activity  to  which  Spain  was  aroused  was  marvellous. 
Fifty  years  saw  expedition  after  expedition  equipped  with 
fiery  zeal  and  fervent  enthusiasm.  Ponce  de  Leon  had 
sailed  from  Puerto  Rico  and  discovered  Florida  in  1512. 
The  following  year  Balboa  discovered  the  Pacific.  In  1517 
and  1518  Cordoba  and  Grijalva  sailed  down  the  coast  of 
Yucatan,  and  the  following  year  Cortes  set  forth  from 
Cuba  to  conquer  the  countries  discovered  by  his  two  prede- 
cessors. Born  at  Estremadura,  Spain,  seven  years  before 
Columbus  sailed,  he  was  now,  at  33  years  of  age,  the  alcalde 


4 THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


of  Santiago,  strong,  crafty,  brave,  unscrupulous,  am- 
bitious, fearless,  determined.  The  story  of  the  conquest 
of  Mexico  is  more  exciting  and  thrilling  than  any  romance. 
And  let  it  not  be  forgotten  that  one  of  the  avowed  objects 
his  superior,  Velasquez,  had  in  sending  him  forth  was  the 
conversion  of  the  natives  to  Christianity.  In  all  such  expe- 
ditions a padre  accompanied  the  explorers,  and  whatever 
may  have  been  the  character,  the  motives,  the  religious  or 
irreligious  life  of  the  promoter  or  commander  of  the  expe-  1 
dition,  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  genuine  piety,  the 
single-heartedness,  the  devotion  and  purity  of  the  major 
part  of  the  priests  who  went  along  to  undertake  the  con- 
version of  the  natives.  Indeed,  as  Padre  Salmeron  truly 
says  of  New  Mexico: 

“ It  is  worth  consideration  that  there  has  been  no  corner  dis- 
covered in  this  New  Spain  in  which  the  first  Columbus  was  not 
a fraile  of  St.  Francis.  They  have  ever  been  first  to  shed  their 
blood,  that  with  such  good  mortar  the  edifice  should  be  lasting 
and  eternal.” 

Mexico  conquered,  the  Pacific  Coast  was  reached,  vessels 
built  upon  its  shores,  and  expeditions  equipped  for  the 
discovery  of  other  lands,  and  the  subjugation  of  their 
peoples.  Guzman,  Becerra,  Jimenez,  Ulloa,  Alarcon,  and 
Cabrillo  were  all  important  names  on  the  Pacific  Coast  in 
the  first  half  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

And  on  the  Atlantic  events  were  transpiring  that  were 
to  lead  to  the  ultimate  colonization  of  our  American  South- 
west, in  what  are  now  Arizona  and  New  Mexico.  For  it 
is  indirectly  to  one  of  the  Spanish  explorations  to  the 
Atlantic  Coast  that  we  owe  their  discovery. 

How  thrilling  are  the  accounts  of  the  adventures  of 
these  early  explorers.  What  direful  risks  men  have 
always  taken  to  satisfy  their  lust  for  conquest,  gold, 
and  power.  How  different  results  have  been  from  what 
they  expected  or  anticipated.  How  short  the  distance  the 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  5 

most  keen-sighted  could  peer  into  the  dim  obscurity  of 
the  future. 

Think  for  a few  moments  of  the  proud  and  haughty 
Spanish  don,  with  the  high-sounding  and  potent  name, 
Alvar  Nunez  Cabeza  de  Vaca,  treasurer  of  the  expedition 
of  Panfilo  de  Narvaez.  In  June,  1527,  this  adventurous 
and  ill-fated  leader  started  from  Spain  with  a fleet  of  five 
ships  and  six  hundred  men,  to  conquer  and  colonize  a prov- 
ince north  of  Panuco  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Storms, 
hurricanes,  and  general  disaster  followed  him  and  his 
party  as  they  neared  the  Gulf  shores.  In  April,  1528, 
they  anchored  in  Tampa  Bay,  and  tired  of  buffet- 
ings  by  sea,  the  headstrong  and  wilful  Narvaez  resolved  to 
march  ashore  and  let  the  vessels  follow  along  the  coast. 
He  and  three  hundred  men  and  forty  horses'  went  inland. 
After  incredible  hardships  they  grew  as  weary  of  the  land 
as  before  they  had  been  of  the  sea,  and,  making  five  rude 
craft,  those  who  were  still  alive  embarked,  intending  to  skirt 
the  coast  to  Panuco.  Six  weeks  of  storm,  thirst,  hunger, 
exposure,  and  attack  by  Indians  found  the  fleet  divided. 
The  boat  commanded  by  Vaca,  with  one  other,  remained  to- 
gether. Their  complete  force  numbered  eighty  men. 
These  landed  only  to  be  taken  captive  by  the  Indians. 
Slavery  was  their  lot  until  famine  and  pestilence  swept 
away  all  but  fifteen.  Of  this  fifteen,  four  ultimately  es- 
caped, and  after  nine  long  years  of  wandering  on  foot, 
nakedness,  starvation,  adventures  with  wild  beasts,  to-day 
in  slavery,  to-morrow  almost  worshipped  because  of  sup- 
posed supernatural  powers,  they  found  their  way  across 
the  continent  to  the  Spanish  settlements  in  northwestern 
Mexico,  — San  Miguel  in  New  Galicia,  — April  1,  1536. 

Vaca’s  stories,  when,  again  clothed  and  in  his  right  mind, 
he  came  in  contact  with  the  Spanish  officers,  made  a won- 
derful impression.  The  hot  blood  of  the  conquist adores 
was  aroused  to  go  forth  and  take  possession  of  the  land, 
and  it  required  great  effort  on  the  part  of  the  viceroy  to 


6 THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


restrain  them.  He  refused  to  allow  any  exploring  expedi- 
tions to  start  until  he  had  sent  out  a scouting  party.  Who 
should  go?  This  was  no  pleasure  trip.  It  was  not  to  be 
a going  forth  44  of  an  army  with  banners.”  It  was  to  be  a 
surveying  of  a country  peopled  with  savages,  where  track- 
less deserts  might  be  encountered,  and  frightful  hardships 
anticipated  with  tolerable  certainty.  Priests  — no  matter 
of  what  church  — have  always  made  brave,  adventurous, 
and  successful  explorers.  44  To  seek  and  to  save,”  — was 
not  that  their  commission,  given  by  Christ  Himself? 
What,  then,  was  danger,  what  suffering,  torture,  death 
itself?  No  greater  reward  could  come  to  them  than  the 
crown  of  martyrdom.  Hence  their  fearlessness,  their  per- 
sistency, their  eagerness,  their  energy.  Knowing  this,  the 
viceroy,  Mendoza,  asked  Marcos  de  Niza,  the  chief  of  the 
band  of  Franciscan  missionaries,  to  adventure  forth,  ac- 
companied only  by  a fellow  friar,  and  Stephen,  a negro 
who  had  been  one  of  Cabeza  de  Vaca’s  comrades,  to  spy 
out  the  land  and  report  upon  Vaca’s  stories.  Marcos, 
accompanied  by  Fray  Onorato,  left  Culiacan,  March  7, 
1539,  penetrated  into  New  Mexico,  and  from  a hillside 
secretly  surveyed  one  of  the  villages  of  Cibola,  now  known 
to  us  as  the  pueblos  of  Zuni.  This  was  as  far  as  he 
deemed  it  necessary  to  go.  He  therefore  returned  to 
Mexico  and  made  his  report. 

It  was  Marcos’s  favorable  report  that  led  Coronado  to 
start  out  on  his  great  expedition,  — the  expedition  that 
led  to  the  subjugation  of  Zuni,  the  pueblos  of  the  Hopi 
(or  Moki),  the  Tiguas  — Teewahs  — of  the  Rio  Grande 
Valley,  and  the  discovery  of  the  Grand  Canyon  of  the 
Colorado  River,  Acoma,  &c.  Accompanying  Coronado 
were  three  Franciscan  friars,  Marcos  aforesaid,  Fray, 
Antonio  Victoria,  and  Fray  Juan  de  Padilla  and  Luis  de 
Escalona,  a lay  brother.  Marcos  soon  returned,  and  An- 
tonio Victoria  was  compelled  to  do  so  by  a broken  leg;  so 
Juan  de  Padilla  and  the  lay  brother  were  the  first  mission- 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS 


7 


aries  to  enter  the  great  field,  now  Arizona  and  New 
Mexico. 

But  Mexico  proper,  and  all  the  newly  established  Cen- 
tral American  provinces  were  being  flooded  with  mission- 
aries. The  whole  Church  in  Spain  was  alive  with  zeal  to 
convert  the  vast  populations  of  the  new  world.  Jesuits, 
Dominicans,  Jeromites,  and  Franciscans  were  alike  active 
and  zealous.  Each  order  had  its  own  work,  and  there  was 
considerable  rivalry,  if  not  jealousy,  between  them. 

Churches  by  the  score,  nay  by  the  hundreds,  were  built, 
and  missions  established  on  every  hand  in  what  are  now 
the  Mexican  provinces.  But  it  was  not  until  Russian 
aggression  in  the  North  rendered  Spain  fearful,  that  a 
real  and  determined  effort  was  made  to  establish  missions 
and  promote  colonization  in  Alta  California;  and  this  was 
two  hundred  and  thirty  years  after  Juan  de  Padilla  had 
begun  work  in  New  Mexico. 

In  that  two  hundred  and  thirty  years  much  had  tran- 
spired in  the  Mission  field  of  what  is  now  New  Mexico, 
Arizona,  Texas,  and  Lower  California.  In  another  volume 
I shall  present  the  results  of  the  missionary  labors  of  these 
years  in  the  four  districts  named. 

It  had  always  been  the  intention  of  Spain  to  colonize 
Alta  California,  but  the  pressure  of  events  elsewhere  had 
prevented.  The  Church  earnestly  desired  it  in  order  to 
extend  its  dominion  over  the  souls  of  the  aborigines. 
These,  according  to  the  stern  theology  of  the  time,  were 
eternally  damned  unless  the  saving  offices  of  Holy  Church 
were  given  to  them,  and  full  of  earnestness  and  zeal  the 
priests  never  ceased  to  urge  the  establishment  of  colonies 
and  missions  that  they  might  accomplish  that  highly  de- 
sirable end.  But  not  until  political  events  crowded  the 
Spanish  monarch  into  action  was  it  effected. 

Spain  was  already  conducting  a large  and  profitable 
trade  with  its  possessions,  the  Philippines.  It  was  a long 
sail  across  the  Pacific  Ocean  to  Mexican  ports,  and  the 


8 


THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


English  free-booters  often  played  sad  havoc  with  the  gal- 
leons laden  with  merchandise  and  other  wealth  on  their  pas- 
sage. England  had  just  gone  to  war  with  Spain  (this  was 
in  1760),  and  her  naval  activities  were  especially  perni- 
cious ; Russia  was  crowding  down  from  the  North,  having 
already  established  herself  in  Alaska,  and  Charles  and  his 
ministry  began  to  feel  the  urgent  necessity  of  doing  some- 
thing quickly  if  it  were  to  be  done  at  all. 

It  is  not  always  a safe  policy  to  conjecture  results  if 
certain  events  had  happened,  yet  in  this  case  it  seems  prob- 
able that  the  whole  history  of  California  would  have  been 
materially  different,  indeed  that  to-day  California  would 
not  be  ranged  under  the  flag  of  the  United  States,  had  not 
King  Charles  sent  out  his  colonizers  and  missionaries  just 
at  the  time  he  did.  Whether  one  believes  or  disbelieves 
in  “ the  hand  of  God  in  history,”  it  was  at  least  exceedingly 
fortunate  that  the  Missions  were  established  by  Spain,  for 
in  the  course  of  time,  she  lost  her  hold  in  Mexico,  and  Cali- 
fornia became  a province  of  the  new  Republic  of  Mexico. 
Now,  had  California  at  this  time,  or  earlier,  been  under  con- 
trol of  the  Russians,  who,  it  must  not  be  forgotten,  were 
slowly  reaching  down  toward  San  Francisco  from  Alaska, 
and  who  later  reached  Mt.  St.  Helena  and  Fort  Ross,  — 
the  latter  but  sixty-five  miles  north,  — the  United  States 
would  have  had  Russia  to  deal  with  instead  of  Mexico. 
California  was  seized  because  the  United  States  was  at  war 
with  Mexico.  Two  years  after  the  seizure,  gold  was  dis- 
covered, and  California  became  a Mecca  for  the  adven- 
turers and  the  gold-lustful  of  the  world. 

Let  us  here  briefly  review  the  facts  as  they  occurred,  and 
then  note  what  they  would  have  been  had  Russia,  instead  of 
Spain,  colonized  California. 

First:  Spain  assumes  political  control  of  California, 
and  at  the  same  time  establishes  the  Missions. 

Second:  Mexico  severs  her  relations  with  Spain,  and 
California  becomes  a province  of  the  Republic  of  Mexico. 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS 


9 


Third : The  United  States  and  Mexico  go  to  war ; Cali- 
fornia is  seized  by  the  United  States  as  a war  measure,  and 
finally  becomes  an  integral  part  of  United  States  territory. 

Had  the  Russians  gained  a foothold  in  California  prior 
to  the  Spanish  Franciscans,  it  is  scarcely  possible  that  they 
would  have  relinquished  the  natural  advantages  afforded 
by  so  remarkable  a base  of  supplies  for  their  Alaskan 
colonies. 

Had  Russia  owned  or  controlled  California  when  gold 
was  discovered,  the  territory  would  never  have  been  relin- 
quished; for,  as  yet,  the  United  States  has  had  no  occa- 
sion to  go  to  war  with  Russia.  So  it  is  apparent  that 
California  owes  its  place  in  the  North  American  Union 
of  States  to  Spain  and  the  Franciscan  Mission  Fathers. 
Owing  to  this  fact,  the  steps  of  the  founders  of  these 
Missions  assume  new  interest  and  greater  importance. 

Now  to  return  after  this  brief  digression  which  fore- 
stalls the  actual  events.  Just  at  this  particular  juncture 
King  Charles  decided  to  banish  the  order  of  Jesuits  com- 
pletely from  his  dominions.  To  carry  out  this  order  in 
Mexico  and  the  peninsula  of  Lower  California  (then,  as 
now,  a province  of  Mexico),  he  appointed  Don  Jose 
Galvez,  a tried  and  trusted  crown  official,  as  Visit ador 
General  with  almost  plenary  authority. 

The  Jesuits  had  long  been  growing  in  power.  Their 
Missions  were  planted  wherever  the  name  of  Spain  was 
known.  While  many  of  the  members  of  the  Order  were 
simple-hearted,  honest  toilers  for  God,  others,  and  these 
the  leaders,  were  fired  with  lust  for  political  as  well  as 
ecclesiastical  power.  Possibly  it  was  their  success  in  gain- 
ing this  power  that  led  to  their  banishment.  Writing  in 
1793,  Gigedo  unconsciously  shows  what  influence  they  had 
in  government  circles.  In  his  report  upon  Loreto,  the 
capital  of  Lower  California,  he  says:  — 

“ It  had  as  garrison  a troop  of  cavalry,  mounted  and  armed  in 
accordance  with  the  customs  of  the  country  ; its  pay  (including 


10  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


that  of  the  crew  of  the  vessel  carrying  supplies)  amounted  to 
$ 32,515 , which  was  paid  out  of  the  royal  treasury.  The  Jesuits 
really  collected  and  distributed  this  money;  and  also  took  care 
of  the  discipline  and  service  of  said  troop,  placed  in  commission 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  defending  and  preserving  the  fifteen 
missions  established  and  administered  by  the  Society  of  Jesus.” 

It  would  be  interesting  could  a full  recital  of  the 
history  of  Jesuit  expulsion  from  Spanish  dominions  be 
given.  It  is  too  long  a story.  It  was  the  most  extensive 
proscription  known  in  European  history.  Henry  the 
Eighth’s  cruel  treatment  of  the  Carthusians  and  Bene- 
dictines affected  a far  less  number  than  the  action  of 
Charles,  this  64  Most  Catholic  King,”  in  thus  banishing, 
without  open  accusation  or  public  trial,  over  six  thousand 
men,  many  of  them  of  the  best  families  and  the  highest  edu- 
cation. Ever  since  his  accession  to  the  throne  he  had  seem- 
ingly been  friendly  to  the  Jesuits,  indeed,  had  chosen  one, 
Father  Wendlingen,  as  tutor  for  his  eldest  son.  Suddenly, 
and  without  any  reason  which  he  was  willing  to  give  to  the 
world,  — it  never  was  given  and  to  this  day  is  unknown,  — 
he  completely  turned  against  them.  A secret  council  was 
called,  the  proceedings  of  which  were  never  recorded  fully 
in  the  archives,  and  with  a care  and  thoroughness  that 
reveal  a relentless  purpose,  arrangements  were  perfected 
for  the  arrest  and  deportation  of  every  professed  Jesuit 
in  the  Spanish  dominions.  In  order  that  there  might  be 
no  failure,  the  maps  were  studied,  and  a date  fixed  upon, 
so  that  the  secret  orders  of  the  King  might  be  carried  out 
simultaneously  in  every  part  of  his  domain.  This  was  not 
possible  in  the  far-away  colonies,  but  even  there  a later 
date  was  fixed,  and  the  royal  commissioners  were  required 
to  see  the  decree  enforced  with  exactitude  at  the  time  set. 
Galvez  was  the  appointed  officer  for  Mexico  and  Lower 
California.  Those  who  were  arrested  in  Spain  were  de- 
ported to  Italy,  and  those  from  Mexico  were  sent  to  the 
remote  Island  of  Corsica.  On  landing,  each  man  received 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  11 


a letter  saying  that  so  long  as  he  remained  there,  refrained 
from  criticising  the  act  which  had  banished  him,  refrained 
from  any  communication,  even  with  relatives  in  Spain  or 
Mexico,  he  should  receive  a yearly  allowance  of  one  hun- 
dred dollars.  And  then,  to  make  the  secrecy  more  effec- 
tive, it  added  that  if  any  one  of  them  violated  any  of  these 
conditions  the  yearly  contribution  would  be  withdrawn  f rom 
all. 

Thus  it  was  that  Lower  California  lost  its  Jesuit  mis- 
sionaries. 

They  were  sixteen  in  number,  officiating  at  fourteen 
Missions,  which  extended  from  Cape  San  Lucas,  on  the 
south,  to  Santa  Maria,  not  far  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Colorado  River,  on  the  north.  The  story  of  the  founding 
of  these  Missions  by  the  Jesuits  forms  an  interesting  part 
of  the  companion  volume  to  this,  and  their  banishment  from 
their  arduous  labors,  in  which  many  of  them  were  expend- 
ing the  tireless  energy  of  devoted  lives,  is  pathetic  in  the 
extreme. 

By  the  same  royal  order  that  banished  the  Jesuits  the 
charge  was  laid  upon  the  Franciscan  College  of  San  Fer- 
nando, in  the  City  of  Mexico,  to  send  priests  to  take  their 
place.  In  casting  about  for  a man  to  direct  this  important 
work,  the  unanimous  choice  fell  upon  Fray  Junipero  Serra. 
The  fifteen  others,  hurriedly  gathered  together,  were  sent 
over  to  direct  the  affairs  of  the  peninsula  Missions. 

Here  Galvez  found  them  when  he  arrived  three  months 
later.  Of  his  work  in  the  peninsula  the  companion  volume 
to  this  will  fully  treat.  What  now  concerns  us  is  his  action 
towards  the  colonization  and  missionizing  of  Alta  Cali- 
fornia. His  orders  upon  the  subject  were  clear  and  im- 
perative: 44  Occupy  and  fortify  San  Diego  and  Monterey 
for  God  and  the  King  of  Spain.”  Galvez  was  a good  son 
of  the  Church,  full  of  enthusiasm,  having  good  sense,  great 
executive  ability,  considerable  foresight,  untiring  energy, 
and  decided  contempt  for  all  routine  formalities.  He 


12  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


began  his  work  with  a truly  Western  vigor.  Being  in- 
vested with  almost  absolute  power,  there  were  none  above 
him  to  interpose  vexatious  formalities  to  hinder  the  imme- 
diate execution  of  his  plans. 

In  order  that  the  spiritual  part  of  the  work  might  be 
as  carefully  planned  as  the  political,  Galvez  summoned 
Serra.  What  a fine  combination ! Desire  and  power  hand 
in  hand ! What  nights  were  spent  by  the  two  in  planning ! 
What  arguments,  what  discussions,  what  final  agreements 
the  old  adobe  rooms  occupied  by  them  must  have  heard! 
But  it  is  by  just  such  men  that  great  enterprises  are  suc- 
cessfully begun  and  executed.  For  fervor  and  enthusiasm, 
power  and  sense,  when  combined,  produce  results.  Plans 
were  formulated  with  a completeness  and  rapidity  that 
equalled  the  best  days  of  the  conquist adores.  Four  expe- 
ditions were  to  go : two  by  land  and  two  by  sea.  So  would 
the  risk  of  failure  be  lessened,  and  practical  knowledge  of 
both  routes  be  gained.  Galvez  had  two  available  vessels: 
the  “ San  Carlos  ” and  the  46  San  Antonio.” 

For  money  the  visitor-general  called  upon  the  Pious 
Fund,  which,  on  the  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits,  he  had  placed 
in  the  hands  of  a governmental  administrator.  He  had 
also  determined  that  the  Missions  of  the  peninsula  should 
do  their  share  to  help  in  the  founding  of  the  new  Missions, 
and  Serra  approved  and  helped  in  the  work. 

When  Galvez  arrived  he  found  Gaspar  de  Portola  act- 
ing as  civil  and  military  governor,  and  Fernando  Javier 
Rivera  y Moncada,  the  former  governor,  commanding  the 
garrison  at  Loreto.  Both  were  captains,  Rivera  having 
been  long  in  the  country.  He  determined  to  avail  himself 
of  the  services  of  these  two  men,  each  of  them  to  command 
one  of  the  land  expeditions.  Consequently  with  great 
rapidity,  for  those  days,  operations  were  set  in  motion. 
Rivera  in  August  or  September,  1768,  was  sent  on  a com- 
mission to  visit  in  succession  all  the  Missions,  gathering 
from  each  one  all  the  provisions,  live-stock,  and  implements 


Plate  Ifl 


a.  SAN  DIEGO  MISSION 


Copyright,  1904,  by  C.  C.  Pierce  ft  Co. 


b.  SAN  CARLOS  MISSION 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  13 


that  could  be  spared.  He  was  also  to  prevail  upon  all  the 
available  families  he  could  find  to  go  along  as  colonists. 
In  the  meantime  others  sent  out  by  Galvez  gathered  in 
church  furniture,  ornaments,  and  vestments  for  the  Mis- 
sions, and  later  Serra  made  a tour  for  the  same  purpose. 
San  Jose  was  named  the  patron  saint  of  the  expedition, 
and  in  December  the  “ San  Carlos  ” arrived  at  La  Paz 
partially  laden  with  supplies. 

The  vessel  was  in  bad  condition,  so  it  had  to  be  unloaded, 
careened,  cleaned,  and  repaired,  and  then  reloaded,  and  in 
this  latter  work  both  Galvez  and  Serra  helped,  the  former 
packing  the  supplies  for  the  Mission  of  San  Buenaventura 
in  which  he  was  particularly  interested,  and  Serra  attend- 
ing to  those  for  San  Carlos.  They  joked  each  other  as  they 
worked,  and  when  Galvez  completed  his  task  ahead  of 
Serra  he  had  considerable  fun  at  the  Padre  presidente’s 
expense.  In  addition  to  the  two  Missions  named,  one  other, 
dedicated  to  San  Diego,  was  first  to  be  established.  By  the 
9th  of  January,  1769,  the  “ San  Carlos”  was  ready. 
Confessions  were  heard,  masses  said,  the  communion  ad- 
ministered, and  Galvez  made  a rousing  speech.  Then 
Serra  formally  blessed  the  undertaking,  cordially  embraced 
Fray  Parron,  to  whom  the  spiritual  care  of  the  vessel 
was  intrusted,  the  sails  were  lowered,  and  off  started 
the  first  division  of  the  party  that  meant  so  much  to 
the  future  California.  In  another  vessel  Galvez  went 
along  until  the  “ San  Carlos  ” doubled  the  point  and 
started  northward,  when,  with  gladness  in  his  heart  and 
songs  on  his  lips,  he  returned  to  still  further  prosecute 
his  work. 

On  the  15th  of  February  the  “ San  Antonio,”  under  the 
command  of  Perez,  was  ready  and  started.  Now  the  land 
expeditions  must  be  moved.  Rivera  had  gathered  his 
stock,  etc.,  at  Santa  Maria,  the  most  northern  of  the  Mis- 
sions, but  finding  scant  pasturage  there  he  had  moved 
eight  or  ten  leagues  farther  north  to  a place  called  by  the 


14  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Indians  Velicata.  Fray  Juan  Crespi  was  sent  to  join 
Rivera,  and  Fray  Lasuen  met  him  at  Santa  Maria  in 
order  to  bestow  the  apostolic  blessing  ere  the  journey 
began,  and  on  the  24th  of  March  Lasuen  stood  at  Velicata 
and  saw  the  little  band  of  pilgrims  start  northward  for  the 
land  of  the  gentiles,  driving  their  herds  before  them. 
What  a procession  it  must  have  been ! The  animals, 
driven  by  Indians  under  the  direction  of  soldiers  and 
priests,  straggling  along  or  dashing  wildly  forward  as 
such  creatures  are  wont  to  do ! Here,  as  well  as  in  the 
starting  of  the  “ San  Carlos  ” and  “ San  Antonio,”  is  a 
great  scene  for  an  artist,  and  some  day  canvases  worthy 
the  subjects  should  be  placed  in  the  California  State 
Capitol  at  Sacramento. 

Governor  Portola  was  already  on  his  way  north,  but 
Serra  was  delayed  by  an  ulcerated  foot  and  leg,  and,  be- 
sides, he  had  not  yet  gathered  together  all  the  Mission  sup- 
plies he  needed,  so  it  was  May  15  before  this  division 
finally  left  Velicata.  The  day  before  leaving,  Serra  estab- 
lished the  Mission  of  San  Fernando  at  the  place  of  their 
departure,  and  left  Padre  Campa  in  charge. 

Now  blow,  ye  favoring  winds,  and,  ye  baffling  storms, 
be  restrained ; the  sea  has  upon  its  bosom  two  vessels  that 
are  to  begin  the  history  of  the  Golden  State,  and  near  by, 
comparatively  speaking,  on  the  land  two  divisions  of  weary 
pilgrims  are  marching  along,  in  one  of  which  is  a man 
who  is  to  leave  his  powerful  impress  upon  the  new  country 
to  which  he  journeys  with  so  much  fiery  zeal  and  religious 
enthusiasm. 

Padre  Serra’s  diary,  kept  in  his  own  handwriting  dur- 
ing this  trip  from  Loreto  to  San  Diego,  is  now  in  the 
Edward  E.  Ayer  Library  in  Chicago.  Some  of  his  expres- 
sions are  most  striking.  In  one  place,  speaking  of  Captain 
Rivera’s  going  from  Mission  to  Mission  to  take  from  them 
“ whatever  he  might  choose  of  what  was  in  them  for  the 
founding  of  the  new  Missions,”  he  says : “ Thus  he  did ; 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  15 


and  altho’  it  was  with  a somewhat  heavy  hand,  it  was 
undergone  for  God  and  the  king.” 

The  work  of  Galvez  for  Alta  California  was  by  no  means 
yet  accomplished.  Another  vessel,  the  44  San  Jose,”  built 
at  his  new  shipyard,  appeared  two  days  before  the  44  San 
Antonio  ” set  sail,  and  soon  afterward  Galvez  went  across 
the  gulf  in  it  to  secure  a load  of  fresh  supplies.  On 
the  16th  of  June  the  44  San  Jose  ” sailed  for  San  Diego 
as  a relief  boat  to  the  44  San  Carlos  ” and  44  San  Antonio,” 
but  evidently  met  with  misfortune,  for  three  months  later 
it  returned  to  the  Loreto  harbor  with  a broken  mast  and 
in  general  bad  condition.  It  was  unloaded  and  repaired 
at  San  Bias,  and  in  the  following  June  again  started  out, 
laden  with  supplies,  but  never  reached  its  destination,  dis- 
appearing forever  without  leaving  a trace  behind. 

The  44  San  Antonio  ” first  arrived  at  San  Diego.  About 
April  11,  1769,  it  anchored  in  the  bay,  and  awakened  in 
the  minds  of  the  natives  strange  feelings  of  astonishment 
and  awe.  Its  presence  recalled  to  them  the  44  stories  of  the 
old,”  when  a similar  apparition  startled  their  ancestors. 
That  other  white-winged  creature  had  come  long  genera- 
tions ago,  and  had  gone  away,  never  to  be  seen  again.  Was 
this  not  to  do  likewise  ? Ah,  no ! in  this  vessel  was  con- 
tained the  beginning  of  the  end  of  the  primitive  man. 
The  solitude  of  the  centuries  was  now  to  be  disturbed  and 
its  peace  invaded;  aboriginal  life  was  to  be  destroyed  for- 
ever. The  advent  of  this  vessel  was  the  death  knell  of  the 
Indian  tribes.  Now  was  to  begin  the  actual  change  in  the 
life  of  the  California  Indians,  such  a change  as  they  had 
never  before  known,  perhaps,  in  the  whole  of  their  history. 
As  we  look  back  upon  it,  the  picture  is  a fascinating  one. 
A handful  of  priests,  hampered  by  long  gowns,  in  a far- 
away, strange  land,  surrounded  by  a vast  population  of 
aborigines,  neither  as  wild  and  ferocious  nor  as  dull  and 
stupid  as  various  writers  have  described  them,  yet  brave, 
courageous,  liberty-loving,  and  self-willed  enough  to  render 


16  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


their  subjugation  a difficult  matter.  With  a courage  that 
was  sublime  in  its  very  boldness,  and  which,  better  than  ten 
thousand  verbal  eulogies,  shows  the  self-centered  confidence 
and  mental  poise  of  the  men,  this  handful  of  priests 
grappled  with  their  task,  brought  the  vast  horde  of  un- 
tamed Indians  under  subjection,  trained  them  to  systematic 
work,  and  in  a few  short  years  so  thoroughly  accomplished 
what  they  had  determined,  that  the  Mission  buildings  were 
erected  by  these  former  savages,  who  were  made  useful 
workers  in  a large  diversity  of  fields. 

Little,  however,  did  either  the  company  on  board  the 
“ San  Antonio  ” or  the  Indians  themselves  conceive  such 
thoughts  as  these  on  that  memorable  April  day. 

But  where  was  the  “ San  Carlos,”  which  sailed  almost  a 
month  earlier  than  the  “ San  Antonio  ” ? She  was  strug- 
gling with  difficulties,  — leaking  water-casks,  bad  water, 
scurvy,  cold  weather.  Therefore  it  was  not  until  April 
29  that  she  appeared.  In  vain  the  captain  of  the  “ San 
Antonio  ” waited  for  the  “ San  Carlos  ” to  launch  a boat 
and  to  send  him  word  as  to  the  cause  of  the  late  arrival  of 
the  flagship;  so  he  visited  her  to  discover  for  himself  the 
cause.  He  found  a sorry  state  of  affairs.  All  on  board 
were  ill  from  scurvy.  Hastily  erecting  canvas  houses  on 
the  beach,  the  men  of  his  own  crew  went  to  the  relief  of 
their  suffering  comrades  of  the  other  vessel.  Then  the 
crew  of  the  relieving  ship  took  the  sickness,  and  soon  there 
were  so  few  well  men  left  that  they  could  scarcely  attend 
the  sick  and  bury  the  dead.  Those  first  two  weeks  in  the 
new  land,  in  the  month  of  May,  1769,  were  never  to  be  for- 
gotten. Of  about  ninety  sailors,  soldiers,  and  mechanics, 
less  than  thirty  survived  ; over  sixty  were  buried  by  the 
wash  of  the  waves  of  the  Bay  of  Saint  James. 

Then  came  Rivera  and  Crespi,  with  Lieutenant  Fages 
and  twenty-five  soldiers. 

Immediately  a permanent  camp  was  sought  and  found 
at  what  is  now  known  as  Old  San  Diego,  where  the  two 


Plate  IV 


FIGURE  OF  CHRIST,  MISSION  SAN  JOSE  ORPHANAGE 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  IT 


old  palms  still  remain,  with  the  ruins  of  the  'presidio  on  the 
hill  behind.  Six  weeks  were  busily  occupied  in  caring  for 
the  sick  and  in  unloading  the  44  San  Antonio.”  Then  the 
fourth  and  last  party  of  the  explorers  arrived,  — Governor 
Portola  on  June  29,  and  Serra  on  July  1.  What  a jour- 
ney that  had  been  for  Serra!  He  had  walked  all  the  way, 
and  when  but  two  days  out  his  badly  ulcerated  leg  began 
to  trouble  him.  Portola  wished  to  send  him  back,  but  Serra 
would  not  consent.  He  called  to  one  of  the  muleteers  and 
asked  him  to  make  a salve  for  his  wound  just  such  as  he 
would  put  upon  the  saddle  galls  of  one  of  his  animals.  It 
was  done,  and  in  a single  night  the  ointment  and  the 
Father’s  prayers  worked  the  miracle  of  healing. 

After  a general  thanksgiving,  in  which  exploding  gun- 
powder was  used  to  give  effect,  a consultation  was  held, 
at  which  it  was  decided  to  send  back  the  44  San  Antonio  ” 
to  San  Bias  for  supplies,  and  for  new  crews  for  herself 
and  the  44  San  Carlos.”  A land  expedition  under  Portola 
was  to  go  to  Monterey,  while  Serra  and  others  remained  at 
San  Diego  to  found  the  Mission.  The  vessel  sailed,  Por- 
tola and  his  band  started  north,  and  on  July  16,  1769, 
Serra  raised  the  Cross,  blessed  it,  said  mass,  preached, 
and  formally  established  the  Mission  of  San  Diego  de 
Alcala. 

It  mattered  not  that  the  Indians  held  aloof ; that  only 
the  people  who  came  on  the  expedition  were  present  to  hear. 
From  the  hills  beyond,  doubtless,  peered  and  peeped  the 
curious  natives.  All  was  mysterious  to  them.  Later, 
however,  they  became  troublesome,  stealing  from  the  sick 
and  pillaging  from  the  44  San  Carlos.”  At  last,  they 
made  a determined  raid  for  plunder,  which  the  Spanish 
soldiers  resisted.  A flight  of  arrows  was  the  result.  A 
boy  was  killed  and  three  of  the  new-comers  wounded.  A 
volley  of  musket-balls  killed  three  Indians,  wounded  sev- 
eral more,  and  cleared  the  settlement.  After  such  an  intro- 
duction, there  is  no  wonder  that  conversions  were  slow. 


18  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Not  a neophyte  gladdened  the  Father’s  heart  for  more 
than  a year. 

In  the  meantime,  Portola,  Crespf,  Rivera,  and  Fages 
were  on  their  way  north.  They  reached  the  Bay  of  Mon- 
terey and,  failing  to  recognize  it,  passed  farther  north, 
where  they  saw  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  This  was  not 
the  great  inland  sea  we  now  know  by  that  name,  but  the 
water  under  Point  Reyes,  which  for  years  had  been  thus 
known.  It  was  on  this  expedition,  however,  that  Ortega 
discovered  the  present-known  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  al- 
though it  was  not  until  several  years  later  that  it  received 
that  name. 

Disheartened  and  weary,  the  party  returned  to  San 
Diego;  only  to  bring  sorrow  and  sadness  to  the  sick  and 
waiting  ones  at  that  place.  Portola  announced  his  decision 
to  return  to  Mexico  and  to  abandon  the  enterprise.  But 
this  was  not  to  be.  When  hope  seemed  to  have  gone,  and 
waiting  had  become  despair,  the  “ San  Antonio  55  returned 
with  abundant  supplies.  Oh,  what  a blessed  vision  was 
that  of  the  long-looked-for  vessel  on  the  very  day  the 
abandonment  had  been  decided ! Captain  Perez  had 
started  from  La  Paz  with  instructions  to  proceed  directly 
to  Monterey.  Of  course,  he  knew  nothing  of  the  return 
of  the  party  from  that  point,  and  although  the  natives 
of  the  Santa  Barbara  channel  informed  him  of  such 
return,  he  would  have  gone  on,  had  not  the  loss  of  an 
anchor  compelled  him  to  return  to  San  Diego  to  replace 
it  from  the  44  San  Carlos.”  Thus,  the  small  matter  of 
losing  an  anchor  perhaps  led  to  the  saving  of  the  enter- 
prise and  to  the  founding  of  the  Missions  as  planned. 

With  new  energy,  vigor,  and  hope,  Portola  set  out  again 
for  the  search  of  Monterey,  this  time  accompanied  by  Serra 
as  well  as  Crespi.  This  time  the  attempt  was  successful. 
They  recognized  the  bay,  and  on  June  3,  1770,  a shelter 
of  branches  was  erected  on  the  beach,  a cross  made  ready 
near  an  old  oak,  the  bells  were  hung  and  blessed,  and  the 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  19 


services  of  founding  began.  Padre  Serra  preached  with 
his  usual  fervor;  he  exhorted  the  natives  to  come  and  be 
saved,  and  put  to  rout  all  infernal  foes  by  an  abundant 
sprinkling  of  holy  water.  The  Mission  was  dedicated  to 
San  Carlos  Borromeo. 

Mrs.  Leland  Stanford  recently  erected  at  Monterey  a 
marble  statue  of  Serra  standing  in  a boat,  about  to  land 
at  that  point.  On  the  pedestal  is  a tablet  which  recounts 
his  heroic  deeds. 

Thus  two  of  the  long  desired  Missions  were  established, 
and  the  passion  of  Serra’s  longings,  instead  of  being  as- 
suaged, raged  now  all  the  fiercer.  It  was  not  long,  how- 
ever, before  he  found  it  to  be  bad  policy  to  have  the  Mis- 
sions for  the  Indian  neophytes  too  near  the  presidio , or  bar- 
racks for  the  soldiers.  These  latter  could  not  always  be 
controlled,  and  they  early  began  a course  which  was  utterly 
demoralizing  to  both  sexes,  for  the  women  of  a people 
cannot  be  debauched  without  exciting  the  men  to  fierce 
anger,  or  making  them  as  bad  as  their  women.  Hence 
Serra  removed  the  Missions : that  of  San  Diego  six  miles 
up  the  valley  to  a point  where  the  ruins  now  stand,  while 
that  of  San  Carlos  he  re-established  in  the  Carmelo  valley. 

The  Mission  next  to  be  established  should  have  been 
San  Buenaventura,  but  events  stood  in  the  way ; so,  on 
July  14,  1771,  Serra  (who  had  been  zealously  laboring 
with  the  heathen  near  Monterey),  with  eight  soldiers,  three 
sailors,  and  a few  Indians,  passed  down  the  Salinas  River 
and  established  the  mission  of  San  Antonio  de  Padua. 
The  site  was  a beautiful  one,  in  an  oak-studded  glen,  near 
a fair-sized  stream.  The  passionate  enthusiasm  of  Serra 
can  be  understood  from  the  fact  that  after  the  bells  were 
hung  from  a tree,  he  loudly  tolled  them,  crying  the  while 
like  one  possessed : “ Come,  gentiles,  come  to  the  Holy 
Church,  come  and  receive  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ!” 
Padre  Pieras  could  not  help  reminding  his  superior  that 
not  an  Indian  was  within  sight  or  hearing,  and  that  it 


20  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


would  be  more  practical  to  proceed  with  the  ritual.  One 
native,  however,  did  witness  the  ceremony,  and  he  soon 
brought  a large  number  of  his  companions,  who  became 
tractable  enough  to  help  in  erecting  the  rude  church,  bar- 
racks, and  houses  with  which  the  priests  and  soldiers  were 
compelled  to  be  content  in  those  early  days. 

On  September  8,  Padres  Somera  and  Cambon  founded 
the  Mission  of  San  Gabriel  Arcangel,  originally  about 
six  miles  from  the  present  site.  Here,  at  first,  the  natives 
were  inclined  to  be  hostile;  a large  force  under  two  chief- 
tains appearing,  in  order  to  prevent  the  priests  from  hold- 
ing their  service.  But  at  the  elevation  of  a painting  of 
the  Virgin,  the  opposition  ceased,  and  the  two  chieftains 
threw  their  necklaces  at  the  feet  of  the  Beautiful  Queen. 
Still,  a few  wicked  men  can  undo  in  a short  time  the  work 
of  many  good  ones.  Padre  Palou  says  that  outrages  by 
soldiers  upon  the  Indian  women  precipitated  an  attack 
upon  the  Spaniards,  especially  upon  two,  at  one  of  whom 
the  chieftain  (whose  wife  had  been  outraged  by  the  man) 
fired  an  arrow.  Stopping  it  with  his  shield,  the  soldier 
levelled  his  musket  and  shot  the  injured  husband  dead. 
Ah!  sadness  of  it!  The  unbridled  passions  of  men  of 
the  new  race  already  foreshadowed  the  death  of  the  old 
race,  even  while  the  good  priests  were  seeking  to  ele- 
vate and  to  christianize  it.  This  attack  and  consequent 
disturbance  delayed  still  longer  the  founding  of  San 
Buenaventura. 

On  his  way  south  (for  he  had  now  decided  to  go  to 
Mexico),  Serra  founded,  on  September  1,  1772,  the  Mis- 
sion of  San  Luis  Obispo  de  Tolosa.  The  natives  called  the 
location  Tixlini,  and  half  a league  away  was  a famous 
canyada  in  which  Fages,  some  time  previously,  had  killed 
a number  of  bears  to  provide  meat  for  the  starving  people 
at  Monterey.  This  act  made  the  natives  well  disposed  to- 
wards the  priests  in  charge  of  the  new  Mission,  and  they 
helped  to  erect  buildings,  offered  their  children  for  baptism, 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  21 


and  brought  of  their  supply  of  food  to  the  priests,  whose 
stores  were  by  no  means  abundant. 

While  these  events  were  transpiring  Governor  Portola 
had  returned  to  Lower  California,  and  Lieutenant  Fages 
was  appointed  commandant  in  his  stead.  This,  it  soon 
turned  out,  was  a great  mistake.  Fages  and  Serra  did  not 
work  well  together,  and,  at  the  time  of  the  founding  of 
San  Luis  Obispo,  relations  between  them  were  strained 
almost  to  breaking.  Serra  appears  to  have  had  just  cause 
for  complaint.  The  enthusiastic,  impulsive  missionary, 
desirous  of  furthering  his  important  religious  work,  be- 
lieved himself  to  be  restrained  by  a cold-blooded,  official- 
minded  soldier,  to  whom  routine  was  more  important  than 
the  salvation  of  the  Indians.  Serra  complained  that  Fages 
opened  his  letters  and  those  of  his  fellow  missionaries ; that 
he  supported  his  soldiers  when  their  evil  conduct  rendered 
the  work  of  the  missionaries  unavailing ; that  he  interfered 
with  the  management  of  the  stations  and  the  punishment 
of  neophytes,  and  devoted  to  his  own  uses  the  property  and 
facilities  of  the  Missions. 

In  the  main,  this  complaint  received  attention  from  the 
Junta  in  Mexico.  Fages  was  ultimately  removed,  and 
Rivera  appointed  governor  in  his  place.  More  mission- 
aries, money,  and  supplies  were  placed  at  Serra’s  disposal, 
and  he  was  authorized  to  proceed  to  the  establishment  of 
the  additional  Missions  which  he  had  planned.  He  also 
obtained  authority  from  the  highest  powers  of  the  Church 
to  administer  the  important  sacrament  of  confirmation. 
This  is  a right  generally  conferred  only  upon  a bishop 
and  his  superiors,  but  as  California  was  so  remote  and  the 
visits  of  a bishop  impossible,  it  was  deemed  appropriate  to 
grknt  this  privilege  to  Serra. 

Rejoicing  and  grateful,  the  earnest  president  sent 
Padres  Fermin  Francisco  de  Lasuen  and  Gregorio  Amurrio, 
with  six  soldiers,  to  begin  work  at  San  Juan  Capistrano. 
This  occurred  in  August,  1775.  On  the  thirtieth  of  the 


22  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


following  October,  work  was  begun,  and  everything 
seemed  auspicious,  when  suddenly,  as  if  God  had  ceased  to 
smile  upon  them,  terrible  news  came  from  San  Di,ego. 
There,  apparently,  things  had  been  going  well.  Sixty 
converts  were  baptized  on  October  3,  and  the  priests  re- 
joiced at  the  success  of  their  efforts.  But  the  Indians 
back  in  the  mountains  were  alarmed  and  hostile.  Who 
were  these  white-faced  strangers  causing  their  brother 
aborigines  to  kneel  before  a strange  God?  What  was  the 
meaning  of  that  mystic  ceremony  of  sprinkling  with 
water?  The  demon  of  priestly  jealousy  wTas  awakened  in 
the  breasts  of  the  tingaivashes  — the  medicine  men  — of 
the  tribes  about  San  Diego,  who  arranged  a fierce  midnight 
attack  wrhich  should  rid  them  forever  of  these  foreign  con- 
jurers, the  men  of  the  “ bad  medicine.” 

Exactly  a month  and  a day  after  the  baptism  of  the 
sixty  converts,  at  the  dead  of  night,  the  mission  buildings 
were  fired  and  the  eleven  persons  of  Spanish  blood  were 
awakened  by  flames  and  the  yells  of  a horde  of  excited 
savages.  A fierce  conflict  ensued.  Arrows  were  fired  on 
the  one  side,  gun-shots  on  the  other,  wrhile  the  flames 
roared  in  accompaniment  and  lighted  the  scene.  Both 
Indians  and  Spaniards  fell.  The  following  morning,  when 
hostilities  had  ceased  and  the  enemy  had  withdrawn,  the 
body  of  Padre  Jayme  was  discovered  in  the  dry  bed  of  a 
neighboring  creek,  bruised  from  head  to  foot  with  blows 
from  stones  and  clubs,  naked,  and  bearing  eighteen  arrow- 
wounds.  v 

The  sad  news  was  sent  to  Serra,  and  his  words  at  hear- 
ing it,  show  the  invincible  missionary  spirit  of  the  man: 
“ God  be  thanked ! Now  the  soil  is  watered ; now  will  the 
reduction  of  the  Dieguinos  be  complete ! ” 

At  San  Juan  Capistrano,  however,  the  news  caused 
serious  alarm.  Work  ceased,  the  bells  were  buried,  and 
the  priests  returned. 

The  reader’s  attention  is  directed  now  to  another  part 


Plate  V 


a.  SAN  GABRIEL  MISSION 


b.  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO  BEFORE  RESTORATION 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  23 


of  the  King  of  Spain’s  dominions,  soon  to  be  closely  con- 
nected at  this  stage  of  affairs  with  the  California  Missions. 
In  Western  New  Mexico  (in  that  portion  now  called  Ari- 
zona) there  were  several  Missions  not  far  from  the  presidio 
of  Tubac,  which  is  now  a small  village  some  forty  miles 
south  of  Tucson.  It  was  deemed  desirable  that  a road 
should  be  established  between  these  New  Mexico  (Arizona) 
points  and  the  California  Missions,  and,  as  a midway  stop- 
ping place,  it  was  decided  to  establish  Mission  settlements 
on  the  Colorado  River. 

For  many  years,  — indeed  ever  since  the  days  of  the 
Jesuits,  — when  the  revered  Padre  Kino  was  at  work 
among  the  Pimas,  it  had  been  purposed  to  establish  Mis- 
sions among  the  Yuma  Indians  on  the  Colorado  River. 
Accordingly,  in  1774,  Don  Juan  Bautista  de  Anza,  captain 
of  the  presidio  of  Tubac,  left  that  post  on  the  8th  of  Jan- 
uary with  a body  of  thirty-four  men,  sixty-five  cattle,  and 
140  horses,  and  accompanied  by  Padres  Garces  and  Diaz. 
Anza  was  to  find  a means  of  communication  between 
Sonora  (his  post  of  Tubac  was  in  Northern  Sonora,  which 
reached  up  as  far  as  the  Gila  River),  and  the  Missions 
of  California.  He  arrived  at  San  Gabriel  May  22,  and 
then  went  to  Monterey  with  Padre  Serra,  who  reached 
San  Gabriel  from  San  Diego  at  the  time  of  his  arrival. 

As  they  passed  through  the  Colorado  River  region  the 
priests  investigated  conditions  as  carefully  as  possible  in  re- 
gard to  the  foundation  of  Missions,  and  on  the  return  trip, 
Garces  made  a prolonged  visit  in  order  that  he  might 
add  to  his  knowledge.  Some  three  years  previously  he  had 
made  a survey  of  the  country  and  its  inhabitants.  He  was 
fired  with  the  same  untiring  zeal  that  dominated  Serra, 
and  he  never  rested  until  the  desire  of  his  heart  in  the 
establishment  of  Missions  for  the  conversion  of  the  Yumas 
was  accomplished.  These  Missions  will  be  referred  to 
elsewhere. 

This  journey  of  Anza’s  was  the  first  exploration  across 


24  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


the  vast  waste  of  country  stretching  from  Western  Ari- 
zona, over  the  Colorado  Desert,  to  the  California  Mis- 
sions, though  Garces  had  already  been  as  far  as  the 
Colorado  River. 

The  first  trip  thus  successfully  accomplished,  the  new 
viceroy,  Bucareli,  instructed  Anza  to  proceed  to  Sonora 
and  Sinoloa  to  recruit  soldiers  and  settlers  for  a new  pre- 
sidio which  he  had  decided  to  establish  at  San  Francisco. 
The  party  was  made  up  in  the  presidio  of  San  Miguel  de 
Orcasitas,  and  marched  up  to  Tubac,  where  a complete 
roster  was  made  by  Padre  Font,  who  accompanied  the 
expedition,  and  whose  diary  of  the  trip  is  still  in  existence 
in  the  Library  of  Brown  University,  Providence,  R.  I. 

On  their  arrival  at  San  Gabriel,  January  4,  1776 
(memorable  year  on  the  other  side  of  the  continent),  they 
found  Rivera  had  arrived  the  day  before,  on  his  way  south 
to  quell  the  Indian  disturbances  at  San  Diego,  and  Anza, 
on  hearing  the  news,  deemed  the  matter  of  sufficient  impor- 
tance to  justify  his  turning  aside  from  his  direct  purpose 
and  going  south  with  Rivera.  Taking  seventeen  of  his 
soldiers  along,  he  left  the  others  to  recruit  their  energies 
at  San  Gabriel,  but  the  inactivity  of  Rivera  did  not  please 
him,  and,  as  things  were  not  going  well  at  San  Gabriel 
he  soon  returned  and  started  northward.  It  was  a weary 
journey,  the  rains  having  made  some  parts  of  the  road 
well-nigh  impassable,  and  even  the  women  had  to  walk. 
Yet  on  the  10th  of  March  they  all  arrived  safely  and 
happily  at  Monterey,  where  Serra  himself  came  to  con- 
gratulate them. 

After  an  illness  which  confined  him  to  his  bed,  Anza, 
against  the  advice  of  his  physician,  started  to  investigate 
the  San  Francisco  region,  as  upon  his  decision  rested  the 
selection  of  the  site.  The  bay  was  pretty  well  explored, 
and  the  site  chosen,  near  a spring  and  creek,  which  was 
named  from  the  day,  — the  last  Friday  in  Lent, — 
Arroyo  de  los  Dolores.  Hence  the  name  so  often  applied 


Plate  VI 


SACRISTY  SIDE  OF  DOORWAY,  b.  CURVED  ARCH  OVER  CHAPEL  DOORWAY 

SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA  SAN  LUIS  REY 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  25 


to  the  Mission  itself : it  being  commonly  known  even  to-day 
as  “ Mission  Dolores.” 

His  duty  performed,  Anza  returned  south  and  Rivera 
appointed  Lieutenant  Moraga  to  take  charge  of  the  San 
Francisco  colonists,  and  on  the  26th  of  July,  1776,  a camp 
was  pitched  on  the  allotted  site.  The  next  day  a building 
of  tules  was  begun  and  on  the  twenty-eighth  of  the  same 
month  mass  was  said  by  Padre  Palou.  In  the  meantime, 
the  vessel  “ San  Carlos  ” was  expected  from  Monterey 
with  all  needful  supplies  for  both  the  'presidio  and  the 
new  Mission,  but,  buffeted  by  adverse  winds,  it  was  forced 
down  the  coast  as  far  as  San  Diego,  and  did  not  arrive 
outside  of  what  is  now  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  until 
August  17. 

The  two  carpenters  from  the  46  San  Carlos,”  with  a squad 
of  sailors,  were  set  to  work  on  the  new  buildings,  and  on 
September  17  the  foundation  ceremonies  of  the  presidio 
took  place.  On  that  same  day,  Lord  Howe  of  the  British 
army,  with  his  Hessian  mercenaries,  was  rejoicing  in  the 
city  of  New  York  in  anticipation  of  an  easy  conquest  of 
the  army  of  the  revolutionists. 

September  17,  the  day  of  “ the  stigmata  of  our  seraphic 
father,  Saint  Francis,”  — memorable  day,  memorable  year ! 
Little  did  that  band  of  Spaniards  imagine  the  importance 
of  their  act!  The  dreams  of  the  most  vivid  imagination 
could  not  have  conceived  what  the  course  of  a hundred  and 
twenty-five  years  would  show  on  the  site  of  their  insignifi- 
cant camp  and  its  surroundings : a great  city,  the  gateway 
to  the  Orient,  the  home  of  nearly  half  a million  inhabi- 
tants ; the  hills  which  they  laboriously  climbed  echoing  the 
clangor  of  bells;  the  bustle  of  factories,  foundries,  and 
great  ship-building,  sugar-refining,  and  other  gigantic 
enterprises ; the  silent  bay  changed  into  the  busy  meeting- 
place  of  a thousand  ships  of  all  nations  and  tonnages. 

It  was  the  establishment  of  that  presidio , followed  by 
that  of  the  Mission  on  October  9,  which  predestined  the 


26  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


name  of  the  future  great  American  city,  born  of  adventure 
and  romance. 

Padres  Palou  and  Cambon  had  been  hard  at  work  since 
the  end  of  July.  Aided  by  Lieutenant  Moraga,  they  built 
a church  fifty-four  feet  long,  and  a house  thirty  by  fifteen 
feet,  both  structures  being  of  wood,  plastered  with  clay,  and 
roofed  with  tules.  On  October  3,  the  day  preceding  the 
festival  of  St.  Francis,  bunting  and  flags  from  the  ships 
were  brought  to  decorate  the  new  building ; but,  owing  to 
the  absence  of  Moraga,  the  formal  dedication  did  not  take 
place  until  October  9.  Happy  was  Serra’s  friend  and 
brother,  Palou,  to  celebrate  high  mass  at  this  dedication 
of  the  church  named  after  the  great  founder  of  his  order, 
and  none  the  less  so  were  his  assistants,  Fathers  Cambon, 
Nocedal,  and  Pena. 

Just  before  the  founding  of  the  Mission  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, the  Spanish  Fathers  witnessed  an  Indian  battle. 
Natives  advanced  from  the  region  of  San  Mateo  and  vigo- 
rously attacked  the  San  Francisco  Indians;  burning  their 
houses  and  compelling  them  to  flee  in  their  tule  rafts  to  the 
islands  and  the  opposite  shores  of  the  bay.  Months  elapsed 
before  these  defeated  Indians  returned,  to  afford  the 
Fathers  at  San  Francisco  an  opportunity  to  work  for  the 
salvation  of  their  souls. 

In  October  of  the  following  year,  Serra  paid  his  first 
visit  to  San  Francisco,  and  said  mass  on  the  titular  saint’s 
day.  Then,  standing  near  the  Golden  Gate,  he  exclaimed: 
44  Thanks  be  to  God  that  now  our  father,  St.  Francis, 
with  the  holy  processional  cross  of  Missions  has  reached 
the  last  limit  of  the  Californian  continent.  To  go  farther 
he  must  have  boats.” 

There  is  a great  misapprehension  in  the  minds  of  many 
people  as  to  how  the  Missions  were  founded.  The  fact 
that  the  missionary  work  of  the  various  Protestant 
churches  of  the  United  States  is  done  under  the  auspices 
and  at  the  expense  of  the  churches  themselves  has  led  to 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  27 


the  assumption  that  the  same  was  the  case  with  the  found- 
ing of  the  Missions  of  the  Southwest.  To  correct  this  mis- 
apprehension, it  is  a pity  that  all  who  hold  it  could  not 
read  in  toto  the  thirty-eight  pages  of  closely  printed 
44  Regulations  and  Instructions  for  the  Garrisons  of  the 
Peninsula  of  Calif ornias,  erection  of  new  Missions,  and 
fostering  of  the  colonization  and  extension  of  the  settle- 
ments of  Monterrey.”  These  were  drawn  up  by  Governor 
Felipe  de  Neve,  in  accordance  with  a kingly  decree  of 
March  21,  1775,  and  sent  to  Josef  de  Galvez,  Viceroy  of 
New  Spain,  January  19,  1781,  for  the  King’s  approval; 
which  being  given,  the  whole  was  ordered  printed  and 
copies  sent  to  all  the  officials  concerned. 

From  it  is  learned  the  close  connection  between  the 
Missions  of  the  Peninsula  of  (Lower)  California  and  those 
in  the  California  of  the  United  States,  and  the  dependence 
of  all  of  them  upon  the  central  government  in  Mexico.  It 
is  made  obligatory  upon  the  governor  to  inspect  the  mili- 
tary posts  and  missions;  full  instructions  are  given  as  to 
the  shipping  and  receipt  of  supplies.  Loreto  (in  Lower 
California),  San  Francisco,  and  San  Diego,  as  soon  as 
their  number  of  mules  reached  twenty-four  and  thirty  re- 
spectively, were  required  to  see  that  thirty  others  were 
supplied  to  the  new  post  that  was  to  be  established  in  the 
pass  of  Santa  Barbara.  A complete  account  is  made  of 
the  various  allowances  of  the  posts  of  San  Diego,  San 
Carlos,  and  San  Francisco,  and  also  of  the  post  which 
shall  be  established  in  the  pass  of  Santa  Barbara.  The 
conduct  of  the  officers  and  troops  was  prescribed,  and  the 
duties  of  the  paymaster  in  regard  to  food  supplies,  etc., 
enumerated  with  exhaustive  thoroughness.  The  kind  treat- 
ment of  the  Indians  prescribed  in  former  orders  is  again 
required.  We  are  told: 

“ There  is  on  hand  at  the  Post  of  Monterey  a herd  of  cattle 
which  at  present  exceeds  500  head  of  all  ages,  and  another  herd 


28  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


of  mares  which  counts  up  over  170  head,  and  about  250  head 
of  sheep  and  goats,  with  some  droves  of  Burros  and  Pigs  ; and 
in  the  Post  of  San  Francisco  there  are  124  head  of  Cattle,  all  be- 
longing to  the  Royal  Exchequer.  It  is  made  the  duty  of  the 
Paymasters  to  carefully  oversee  the  herding  and  care  of  said 
Herds,  their  increase,  their  distribution  to  settlers  as  pay  or 
reimbursement ; and  with  care  in  breeding  shall  be  kept  the 
outgo  of  Colts,  Bulls,  Calves,  Sheep,  Geldings,  Goats,  Pigs,  and 
of  the  others  that  because  old  and  barren  should  be  constantly 
used  up.  The  reckoning  of  these  herds  shall  be  kept,  to  give 
account  of  their  produce  and  increase  to  the  Royal  Exchequer, 
as  hereinafter  set  forth.” 

Even  the  methods  and  place  of  measuring  of  grain  is 
prescribed,  nothing  being  deemed  of  too  small  importance. 
In  the  titles  referring  to  settlement  it  is  candidly  stated 
that: 

“The  most  important  object  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  pious 
intentions  of  our  Lord  the  King,  is  to  perpetuate  His  Majesty’s 
dominion  over  the  extensive  territory  embraced  for  more  than 
200  leagues  by  the  new  settlements  and  respective  posts  of  San 
Diego,  Monterey,  and  San  Francisco  ; to  advance  the  Conversion, 
and  to  make  this  so  vast  Country  as  useful  as  possible  to  the 
State  — inhabited  by  innumerable  gentiles  (except  1749  Chris- 
tians of  both  sexes  at  the  eight  missions  on  the  road  between 
the  first  and  the  last  Posts),  erecting  Pueblos  (towns)  of  civilized 
people,  etc.” 

It  is  then  definitely  stated  what  shall  be  paid  to  and 
provided  for  each  new  settler  and  settlement.  Regulations 
are  made  about  building-lots,  plazas,  pastures,  etc.,  and 
settlers  are  forbidden  to  mortgage  “ the  House  or  fields  ” 
granted  to  them. 

“ They  are  to  be  exempt  from  payment  of  tithes  or  any  other 
tax  on  the  fruits  and  produce  brought  them  by  the  lands  and 
herds  with  which  they  are  furnished,  on  conditions  that  in  the 
first  year  from  the  day  they  are  allotted  their  lots  and  fields  they 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  29 


shall  build  their  houses  as  best  they  may,  and  dwell  in  them ; 
shall  open  the  proper  ditches  for  the  irrigation  of  their  lands, 
placing  on  their  boundary  lines,  instead  of  landmarks,  useful 
fruit  or  forest  trees,  at  the  rate  of  ten  to  the  Field ; and  equally 
that  they  shall  open  the  acequia  or  zanja  madre  (mother  ditch), 
build  a reservoir  and  other  public  works  necessary  to  benefit  the 
crops.’ * 

Settlers  are  explicitly  instructed  in  such  matters  even  as 
the  breeding  of  their  stock,  and  distinctly  forbidden  to  kill 
one  of  the  original  head  given  to  him  within  the  term  of 
five  years. 

Matters  outside  their  immediate  California  jurisdiction 
also  gave  considerable  worry  to  the  authorities.  Russia 
and  England  were  constantly  buzzing  about,  like  trouble- 
some flies,  and  Spain  was  irritated  and  disturbed.  One 
has  but  to  read  the  report  of  Viceroy  Gigedo  to  see  how 
the  Spanish  felt  about  English  and  Russian  aggressions. 
Explorations  were  pushed  far  to  the  north,  and  landings 
were  made  at  Nutka  and  elsewhere,  and  formal  possession 
taken.  April  14,  1789,  in  an  order  to  Gigedo,  the  King 
informed  him  of  the  protest  he  had  lodged  with  Russia 
“ stating  therein  that  the  subjects  of  that  power  should 
not  found  establishments  on  our  northern  coasts  of  the 
Californias.” 

Trouble  was  made  with  the  English  for  landing  at 
Nutka,  two  vessels  being  seized  and  taken  as  prisoners  to 
San  Bias.  These  were  ultimately  set  at  liberty,  and  after 
considerable  negotiations  between  the  courts  of  Spain  and 
England,  the  King  of  Spain  by  royal  letter,  dated  May 
12,  1791,  ordered  that  Nutka  should  be  transferred  to  the 
English.  It  was  at  this  transfer  that  Vancouver,  the  Eng- 
lish captain,  insisted  that  the  boundary  between  Spanish 
and  English  possessions  on  the  California  coast  should  be 
the  port  of  San  Francisco.  On  reference  of  the  matter, 
however,  to  higher  authority,  the  bounds  were  settled  more 
in  accord  with  the  claims  of  the  Spanish.  In  spite  of  this 


30  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


dogged  insistence  of  Vancouver  he  was  well  treated  by  the 
officials  at  Monterey,  and  Gigedo  reports: 

“ He  expressed  to  me  in  writing  heartfelt  thanks,  and  in  proof 
of  his  gratitude,  made  a gift,  of  the  value  of  two  thousand  dol- 
lars, more  or  less,  to  the  ‘ presidio  * and  mission  of  Monterey  in 
implements  useful  for  agriculture  and  timber  cutting,  beads  and 
other  small  articles.” 

One  other  matter  of  geographical  importance  it  is  as 
well  to  understand  at  this  point.  Knowledge  of  the  North- 
west was  still  so  imperfect  that  therein  lay  one  great  secret 
of  the  fears  of  the  Spanish.  They  deemed  it  possible  that 
a strait  or  passage  between  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  might 
yet  be  found,  and  that  if  this  were  to  be  discovered  by  some 
foreign  and  hostile  power  it  would  place  the  New  Mexico 
Colonies  and  Missions  as  well  as  those  of  California  in 
jeopardy.  In  1793,  Viceroy  Gigedo,  in  making  his  most 
useful,  interesting,  and  exhaustive  report,  fully  discusses 
this  matter. 

When  the  Columbia  River’s  mouth  was  discovered  it  was 
thought  that  it  was  possibly  the  entrance  to  the  channel 
which  connected  the  two  oceans.  He  urged  the  necessity 
for  exploring  it;  for,  said  he: 

“ If  this  river  should  be  the  passage  between  the  two  oceans, 
then  we  would  have  acquired  all  necessary  information  about 
the  volume  of  water  it  carries,  the  rapidity  or  slowness  of  the 
current,  the  Indian  tribes  either  nomadic  or  stable  which  live  on 
its  banks,  and  the  place  more  or  less  accessible,  where  the  river 
empties  into  the  Atlantic.” 

But  with  practical  common  sense  Gigedo  discounte- 
nanced the  further  extension  of  territory  without  reason, 
and,  in  summing  up  the  results  of  what  the  various 
explorations  had  accomplished,  says  that  “ during  the 
period  of  twenty-five  years  many  millions  of  dollars  have 
been  expended  in  establishing  and  maintaining  the  new 


Plate  VII 


FACHADA  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO  MISSION  b.  FACIIADA  OF  SAN  BUENAVENTURA  MISSION 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  31 


settlements  of  Upper  California ; in  repeated  explorations 
of  its  northern  coasts ; and  in  the  occupation  of  Nutka.” 

The  same  month  in  which  Palou  dedicated  the  Northern 
Mission,  found  Serra,  with  Padre  Gregorio  Amurrio  and 
ten  soldiers,  wending  their  way  from  San  Diego  to  San 
Juan  Capistrano,  the  foundation  of  which  had  been 
delayed  the  year  previous  by  the  San  Diego  massacre. 
They  disinterred  the  bells  and  other  buried  materials  and 
without  delay  founded  the  Mission.  With  his  customary 
zeal,  Serra  caused  the  bells  to  be  hung  and  sounded,  and 
said  the  dedicatory  mass  on  November  1,  1776.  The  origi- 
nal location  of  this  Mission,  named  by  the  Indians  Sajirit , 
was  approximately  the  site  of  the  present  church,  whose 
pathetic  ruins  speak  eloquently  of  the  frightful  earthquake 
which  later  destroyed  it. 

Aroused  by  a letter  from  Viceroy  Bucareli,  Rivera 
hastened  the  establishment  of  the  eighth  Mission.  A place 
was  found  near  the  Guadalupe  River,  where  the  Indians 
named  Tares  had  four  rancherias,  which  they  called 
Thamien.  Here  Padre  Tomas  de  la  Pena  planted  the 
cross,  erected  an  enramada , or  brush  shelter,  and  on  Jan- 
uary 12,  1777,  said  mass,  dedicating  the  new  Mission  to 
the  Virgin,  Santa  Clara,  one  of  the  early  converts  of 
Francis  of  Assisi. 

On  February  3,  1777,  the  new  Governor  of  Alta  Califor- 
nia, Felipe  de  Neve,  arrived  at  Monterey  and  superseded 
Rivera.  He  quickly  established  the  pueblo  of  San  Jose, 
and,  a year  or  two  later,  Los  Angeles,  the  latter  under  the 
long  title  of  the  pueblo  of  “ Nuestra  Senora,  reina  de  los 
Angeles,”  — Our  Lady,  Queen  of  the  Angels. 

For  many  years,  — indeed  ever  since  the  days  of  the 
Jesuits,  — when  the  revered  Padre  Kino  was  at  work 
among  the  Pimas,  it  had  been  purposed  to  establish  Mis- 
sions among  the  Yuma  Indians  on  the  Colorado  River. 
But  not  until  1775-6  was  anything  definite  accomplished. 
Then,  Francisco  Garces  and  Tomas  Eixarch  visited  the 


32  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Yumas,  on  the  site  of  what  is  now  the  United  States 
Indian  School,  and  were  well  received  by  a local  chief 
named  Palma.  The  order  for  the  establishment  of  Mis- 
sions at  this  point  was  ultimately  given  by  General  Croix, 
on  March  20,  1780.  With  fateful  stubbornness  this  man, 
unfamiliar  with  the  dangerous  conditions,  ordered  the 
introduction  of  a system  of  management  altogether  differ- 
ent from  that  which  obtained  elsewhere.  Indians  and 
Spaniards  were  to  live  promiscuously  in  the  pueblo.  There 
was  to  be  no  distinct  mission  for  the  former,  and  the 
priests  were  given  no  temporal  control  over  their  converts. 
Indeed,  it  was  to  be  a modern  town,  where  colonists  and 
natives  should  live  in  proximity,  with  the  priests  as  pas- 
tors and  teachers,  under  a kind  of  semi-military  govern- 
ment. The  pueblo  was  named  “ La  Purisima  Concepcion,” 
and  was  situated  on  the  California  side,  where  the  Indian 
school  now  stands.  Garces  and  Barreneche  were  its  mis- 
sionaries. A little  later,  San  Pedro  y San  Pablo  de  Bicuner 
was  established,  some  eight  or  ten  miles  farther  down  the 
river,  on  the  California  side.  These  were  ill-fated  estab- 
lishments, unfortunate  experiments  in  colonization,  des- 
tined to  offer  sad  proofs  of  the  determination  of  the 
Yumas,  shown  even  to-day,  not  to  yield  anything  of  their 
belief  to  others.  They  were  the  scenes  of  pathetic  pre- 
parations for  martyrdom,  and  finally  rude  and  terrible 
butcheries.  Priests,  settlers,  soldiers,  and  Governor  Rivera 
himself  perished  in  the  terrific  attack.  Forty-six  men  met 
an  awful  fate,  and  the  women  were  left  to  a slavery  more 
frightful  than  death.  This  was  the  last  attempt  made 
by  the  Spaniards  to  missionize  the  Yumas. 

With  these  sad  events  in  mind  the  Fathers  founded  San 
Buenaventura  on  March  31,  1782.  Serra  himself  preached 
the  dedicatory  sermon.  The  Indians  came  from  their  pic- 
turesque conical  huts  of  tule  and  straw,  to  watch  the 
raising  of  the  Cross,  and  the  gathering  at  this  dedication 
was  larger  than  at  any  previous  ceremony  in  California; 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  33 


more  than  seventy  Spaniards  with  their  families,  together 
with  large  numbers  of  Indians,  being  there  assembled. 

The  next  month,  the  presidio  of  Santa  Barbara  was 
established,  and  later  the  Mission  of  the  same  name. 

In  the  end  of  1783,  Serra  visited  all  the  southern  Mis- 
sions to  administer  confirmation  to  the  neophytes,  and  in 
January,  1784,  he  returned  to  San  Carlos  at  Monterey. 
Then  he  visited  the  two  northern  Missions  of  Santa  Clara 
and  San  Francisco,  returning  home  in  June.  His  last  days 
were  saddened  by  the  death  of  his  beloved  friend  and 
brother,  Crespi,  and  embittered  by  contests  with  the  mili- 
tary authorities  for  what  he  deemed  the  right.  His  last 
act  was  to  walk  to  the  door,  in  order  that  he  might  look 
out  upon  the  beautiful  face  of  Nature.  The  ocean,  the 
sky,  the  trees,  the  valley  with  its  wealth  of  verdure,  the 
birds,  the  flowers  — all  gave  joy  to  his  weary  eyes.  Re- 
turning to  his  bed,  he  “ fell  asleep,”  and  his  work  on  earth 
ended.  He  was  buried  by  his  friend  Palou  at  his  beloved 
Mission  in  the  Carmelo  Valley,  and  there  his  dust  now 
rests. 

His  successor  as  the  president  of  the  Missions  was  Fer- 
min  Francisco  Lasuen,  who,  at  the  time  of  his  appointment, 
was  the  priest  in  charge  at  San  Diego.  He  was  elected  by 
the  directorate  of  the  Franciscan  College  of  San  Fernando, 
in  the  City  of  Mexico,  February  6,  1785,  and  on  March  13, 
1787,  the  Sacred  Congregation  at  Rome  confirmed  his 
appointment,  according  to  him  the  same  right  of  confir- 
mation which  Serra  had  exercised.  In  five  years  this  Father 
confirmed  no  less  than  ten  thousand,  one  hundred  thirty- 
nine  persons. 

Santa  Barbara  was  the  next  Mission  to  be  founded. 
For  awhile  it  seemed  that  it  would  be  located  at  Montecito, 
now  the  beautiful  and  picturesque  suburb  of  its  larger 
sister;  but  President  Lasuen  doubtless  chose  the  site  the 
Mission  now  occupies.  Well  up  on  the  foothills  of  the 
Sierra  Santa  Ines,  it  has  a commanding  view  of  valley, 

3 


34  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


ocean,  and  islands  beyond.  Indeed,  for  outlook,  it  is  doubt- 
ful if  any  other  Mission  equals  it.  It  was  formally  dedi- 
cated on  December  4,  1786. 

Various  obstacles  to  the  establishment  of  Santa  Barbara 
had  been  placed  in  the  way  of  the  priests.  Governor  Fages 
wished  to  curtail  their  authority,  and  sought  to  make  inno- 
vations which  the  Padres  regarded  as  detrimental  in  the 
highest  degree  to  the  Indians,  as  well  as  annoying  and 
humiliating  to  themselves.  This  was  the  reason  of  the 
long  delay  in  founding  Santa  Barbara.  It  was  the  same 
with  the  following  Mission.  It  had  long  been  decided  upon. 
Its  site  was  selected.  The  natives  called  it  Algsacupi. 
It  was  to  be  dedicated  44  to  the  most  pure  and  sacred 
mystery  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  most  Holy 
Virgin  Mary,  Mother  of  God,  Queen  of  Heaven,  Queen  of 
Angels,  and  Our  Lady  ” : a name  usually,  however, 
shortened  in  common  parlance  to  46  La  Purisima  Concep- 
cion.” On  December  8,  1787,  Lasuen  blessed  the  site, 
raised  the  Cross,  said  mass  and  preached  a sermon ; but 
it  was  not  until  March,  1788,  that  work  on  the  buildings 
was  begun.  An  adobe  structure,  roofed  with  tiles,  was 
completed  in  1802,  and,  ten  years  later,  destroyed  by 
earthquake. 

The  next  Mission  founded  by  Lasuen  was  that  of  Santa 
Cruz.  On  crossing  the  coast  range  from  Santa  Clara,  he 
thus  wrote:  44  I found  in  the  site  the  most  excellent  fitness 
which  had  been  reported  to  me.  I found,  beside,  a stream 
of  water,  very  near,  copious,  and  important.  On  August 
28,  the  day  of  Saint  Augustine,  I said  mass,  and  raised  a 
cross  on  the  spot  where  the  establishment  is  to  be.  Many 
gentiles  came,  old  and  young,  of  both  sexes,  and  showed 
that  they  would  gladly  enlist  under  the  Sacred  Standard. 
Thanks  be  to  God ! ” 

On  Sunday,  September  25,  Sugert,  an  Indian  chief  of 
the  neighborhood,  assured  by  the  priests  and  soldiers  that 
no  harm  should  come  to  him  or  his  people  by  the  noise  of 


Plate  VIII 


MISSION  BELL  AT  SANTA  BARBARA 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  35 


exploding  gunpowder,  came  to  the  formal  founding.  Mass 
was  said,  a Te  Deum  chanted,  and  Don  Hermenegildo 
Sol,  Commandant  of  San  Francisco,  took  possession  of 
the  place,  thus  completing  the  foundation.  To-day  noth- 
ing but  a memory  remains  of  the  Mission  of  the  Holy 
Cross. 

Lasuen’s  third  Mission  was  founded  in  this  same  year, 
1791.  He  had  chosen  a site,  called  by  the  Indians  Chut- 
tusgelis , and  always  known  to  the  Spaniards  as  Soledad, 
since  their  first  occupation  of  the  country.  Here,  on 
October  9,  Lasuen,  accompanied  by  Padres  Sijar  and 
Garcia,  in  the  presence  of  Lieutenant  Jose  Argiiello,  the 
guard,  and  a few  natives,  raised  the  Cross,  blessed  the  site, 
said  mass,  and  formally  established  the  Mission  of  44  Nues- 
tra  Senora  de  la  Soledad.” 

One  interesting  entry  in  the  Mission  books  is  worthy 
of  mention.  In  September,  1787,  two  vessels  belonging  to 
the  newly  founded  United  States  sailed  from  Boston.  The 
smaller  of  these  was  the  44  Lady  Washington,”  under  com- 
mand of  Captain  Gray.  In  the  Soledad  Mission  register 
of  baptisms,  it  is  written  that  on  May  19,  1793,  there  was 
baptised  a Nootka  Indian,  twenty  years  of  age,  44  Inquina, 
son  of  a gentile  father,  named  Taguasmiki,  who  in  the 
year  1789  was  killed  by  the  American  Gret  (undoubtedly 
Gray),  Captain  of  the  vessel  called  Washington , belonging 
to  the  Congress  of  Boston.” 

For  six  years  no  new  Missions  were  founded:  then,  in 
1797,  four  were  established,  and  one  in  1798.  These,  long 
contemplated,  were  delayed  for  a variety  of  reasons.  It 
was  the  purpose  of  the  Fathers  to  have  the  new  Missions 
farther  inland  than  those  already  established,  that  they 
might  reach  more  of  the  natives : those  who  lived  in  the 
valleys  and  on  the  slopes  of  the  foothills.  Besides  this,  it 
had  always  been  the  intent  of  the  Spanish  government  that 
further  explorations  of  the  interior  country  should  take 
place,  that,  as  the  Missions  became  strong  enough  to  sup- 


36  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


port  themselves,  the  Indians  there  might  be  brought  under 
the  influence  of  the  Church.  Neve’s  Regulations  say : 

“ It  is  made  imperative  to  increase  the  number  of  Reductions 
(stations  for  converting  the  Indians)  in  proportion  to  the  vast- 
ness of  the  country  occupied,  and  although  this  must  be  carried 
out  in  the  succession  and  order  aforesaid,  as  fast  as  the  older 
establishments  shall  be  fully  secure,  etc.,”  and  earlier,  “ while 
the  breadth  of  the  country  is  unknown  (it)  is  presumed  to  be  as 
great  as  the  length,  or  greater  (200  leagues),  since  its  greatest 
breadth  is  counted  by  thousands  of  leagues.” 

On  this  subject  Von  LangsdorfF  in  his  “Voyages,”  pub- 
lished in  London  in  1814,  says: 

“ Every  year  military  expeditions  are  sent  out  to  obtain  a 
more  exact  knowledge  of  the  interior  of  the  country,  with  a view, 
if  possible,  of  establishing,  by  degrees,  a land  communication 
between  Santa  Fe  and  the  northwest  coast  of  America.  While 
I was  at  the  Mission  of  St.  Joseph,  thirteen  soldiers,  with  a Ser- 
jeant and  corporal,  arrived  there  on  their  return  from  one  of 
these  expeditions.  These  people  asserted  that  they  had  pene- 
trated between  eighty  and  ninety  leagues  into  the  country,  and 
had  arrived  in  the  neighborhood  of  a high  and  widely  extended 
chain  of  hills,  covered  with  eternal  snow;  this  chain  is  known 
to  the  Spaniards  under  the  name  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  or  Snowy 
Mountains.  The  river,  or  rivers  of  St.  Francisco  and  another 
stream  which  flows  into  the  sea  near  St.  Michael,  must  have 
their  sources  in  these  mountains. 

Individuals,  inhabitants  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  affirm,  that  three 
or  four  days  journey  eastward  of  this  chain,  they  have  seen  men 
with  blue  and  red  clothing,  who  entirely  resembled  the  Spaniards 
of  California  ; they  were  very  probably  soldiers  of  Santa  Fe,  who 
had  been  sent  on  a similar  expedition  from  the  Eastern  coast,  to 
examine  the  interior  of  the  country  westwards. 

According  to  this  information,  the  Spaniards,  between  the 
thirty-fifth  and  thirty-eighth  degrees  of  latitude  on  the  dif- 
ferent sides  of  the  continent,  must  have  come  pretty  near  to 
each  other ; a probability  is  thus  afforded,  that,  in  time,  a regular 
inland  communication  may  be  established  between  Santa  Fe  and 
St.  Francisco.” 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  37 


Further  on  he  states  that  one  of  these  expeditions  was 
fitted  out  for  travel  to  the  Sierra  Nevada  during  their 
stay.  The  Padre,  Jose  Uria,  went  44  partly  in  the  hope  of 
engaging  fresh  converts,  partly  for  the  purpose  of  gaining 
a more  extensive  knowledge  of  the  interior,  with  a view  to 
establish  a new  Mission,  from  which  he  expected  great 
advantages  to  be  derived.” 

In  spite  of  the  fact  recorded  by  Langsdorff,  however, 
I think  it  must  generally  be  conceded  that  the  priests  in 
California  were  more  active  as  local  pastors  than  as  ex- 
plorers. They  were  not  possessed  of  the  spirit  that  ani- 
mated Kino  and  Garces.  Had  the  latter  been  in  charge 
in  California,  it  is  hard  to  believe  that  he  would  not  have 
known  more  of  the  interior  country,  even  had  he  been 
forced  to  make  the  explorations  alone. 

Various  investigations  were  made  by  the  nearest  priests 
in  order  to  select  the  best  locations  for  the  proposed  Mis- 
sions, and,  in  1796,  Lasuen  reported  the  results  to  the  new 
Governor,  Borica,  who  in  turn  communicated  them  to  the 
Viceroy  in  Mexico.  Approval  was  given  and  orders  issued 
for  the  establishment  of  the  five  new  Missions. 

On  June  9,  1797,  Lasuen  left  San  Francisco  for  the 
founding  of  the  Mission  San  Jose,  then  called  the  Alameda. 
The  following  day,  a brush  church  was  erected,  and,  on  the 
morrow,  the  usual  foundation  ceremonies  occurred.  The 
natives  named  the  site  Oroysom.  Beautifully  situated  on 
the  foothills,  with  a prominent  peak  near  by,  it  offers  an 
extensive  view  over  the  southern  portion  of  the  San  Fran- 
cisco bay  region.  At  first,  a wooden  structure  with  a 
grass  roof  served  as  a church ; but  later  a brick  structure 
was  erected,  which  Von  Langsdorff  visited  in  1806. 

It  seems  singular  to  us  at  this  date  that  although  the 
easiest  means  of  communication  between  the  Missions  of 
Santa  Clara,  San  Jose  and  San  Francisco,  was  by  water 
on  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  the  Padre  and  soldiers  at 
San  Francisco  had  no  boat  or  vessel  of  any  kind.  Langs- 


38  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


dorff  says  of  this:  “Perhaps  the  missionaries  are  afraid 
lest  if  there  were  boats,  they  might  facilitate  the  escape  of 
the  Indians,  who  never  wholly  lose  their  love  of  freedom 
and  their  attachment  to  their  native  habits ; they  there- 
fore consider  it  better  to  confine  their  communication  with 
one  another  to  the  means  afforded  by  the  land.  The 
Spaniards,  as  well  as  their  nurslings,  the  Indians,  are  very 
seldom  under  the  necessity  of  trusting  themselves  to  the 
waves,  and  if  such  a necessity  occur,  they  make  a kind  of 
boat  for  the  occasion,  of  straw,  reeds,  and  rushes,  bound 
together  so  closely  as  to  be  watertight.  In  this  way  they 
contrive  to  go  very  easily  from  one  shore  to  the  other. 
Boats  of  this  kind  are  called  walza  by  the  Spanish.  The 
oars  consist  of  a thin,  long  pole  somewhat  broader  at  each 
end,  with  which  the  occupants  row  sometimes  on  one  side, 
sometimes  on  the  other.” 

For  the  next  Mission  two  sites  were  suggested;  but,  as 
early  as  June  17,  Corporal  Ballesteros  erected  a church, 
missionary-house,  granary,  and  guard-house  at  the  point 
called  by  the  natives  Popeloutchom,  and  by  the  Spaniards, 
San  Benito.  Eight  days  later,  Lasuen,  aided  by  Padre 
Catala  and  Martiarena,  founded  the  Mission  dedicated  to 
the  saint  of  that  day,  San  Juan  Bautista. 

Next  in  order,  between  the  two  Missions  of  San  Antonio 
de  Padua  and  San  Luis  Obispo,  was  that  of  “ the  most 
glorious  prince  of  the  heavenly  militia,”  San  Miguel. 
Lasuen,  aided  by  Sit  jar,  in  the  presence  of  a large  number 
of  Indians,  performed  the  ceremony  in  the  usual  form,  on 
July  25,  1797.  This  Mission  eventually  grew  to  large 
proportions.  In  a subsequent  chapter,  dealing  with  the 
interiors  of  the  Mission  churches,  a detailed  description  of 
the  interior  of  San  Miguel  will  be  given ; since  it  remains 
to-day  almost  exactly  as  decorated  by  the  hands  of  the 
original  artists. 

San  Fernando  Rey  was  next  established,  on  September  8, 
by  Lasuen,  aided  by  Padre  Dumetz. 


Plate  IX 


ALTAR  IN  MORTUARY  CHAPEL,  SAN  LUIS  REY 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  39 


After  extended  correspondence  between  Lasuen  and  Gov- 
ernor Borica,  a site,  called  by  the  natives  Tacayme , was 
finally  chosen  for  locating  the  next  Mission,  which  was  to 
bear  the  name  of  San  Luis,  Rey  de  Francia.  Thus  it 
became  necessary  to  distinguish  between  the  two  saints  of 
the  same  name:  San  Luis,  Bishop  (Obispo),  and  San  Luis, 
King;  but  modern  American  parlance  has  eliminated  the 
comma,  and  they  are  respectively  San  Luis  Obispo  and 
San  Luis  Rey.  Lasuen,  with  the  honored  Padre  Peyri 
and  Padre  Santiago,  conducted  the  ceremonies  on  June  13, 
and  the  hearts  of  all  concerned  were  made  glad  by  the 
subsequent  baptism  of  fifty-four  children. 

It  was  as  an  adjunct  to  this  Mission  that  Padre  Peyri,  in 
1816,  founded  the  chapel  of  San  Antonio  de  Pala,  twenty 
miles  east  from  San  Luis  Rey : to  which  place  were  removed 
the  Palatingwas,  or  Agua  Calientes,  recently  evicted  from 
Warner’s  Ranch.  This  chapel  has  the  picturesque  cam- 
panile*,  or  small  detached  belfry,  the  pictures  of  which  are 
known  throughout  the  world. 

With  the  founding  of  San  Luis  Rey  this  branch  of  the 
work  of  President  Lasuen  terminated.  Bancroft  regards 
him  as  a greater  man  than  Serra,  and  one  whose  life  and 
work  entitle  him  to  the  highest  praise.  He  died  at  San 
Carlos  on  June  26,  1803,  and  was  buried  by  the  side  of 
Serra. 

Estevan  Tapis  now  became  president  of  the  Missions, 
and  under  his  direction  was  founded  the  nineteenth  Mission, 
that  of  Santa  Ines,  virgin  and  martyr.  Tapis  himself 
conducted  the  ceremonies,  preaching  a sermon  to  a large 
congregation,  including  Commandant  Carrillo,  on  Sep- 
tember 17,  1804. 

With  Lasuen,  the  Mission  work  of  California  reached  its 
maximum  power.  Under  his  immediate  successors  it  began 
to  decline.  Doubtless  the  fact  that  the  original  chain  was 
completed,  was  an  influence  in  the  decrease  of  activity.  For 
thirteen  years  there  was  no  extension.  A few  minor  at- 


40  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


tempts  were  made  to  explore  the  interior  country,  and  many 
of  the  names  now  used  for  rivers  and  locations  in  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley  were  given  at  this  time.  Nothing  further, 
however,  was  done,  until  in  1817,  when  such  a wide-spread 
mortality  affected  the  Indians  at  the  San  Francisco  Mis- 
sion, that  Governor  Sola  suggested  that  the  afflicted  neo- 
phytes be  removed  to  a new  and  healthful  location  on  the 
north  shore  of  the  San  Francisco  bay.  A few  were  taken 
to  what  is  now  San  Rafael,  and  while  some  recovered, 
many  died.  These  latter,  not  having  received  the  last  rites 
of  their  religion,  were  subjects  of  great  solicitude  on  the 
part  of  some  of  the  priests,  and,  at  last,  Father  Taboada, 
who  had  formerly  been  the  priest  at  La  Purisima  Concep- 
cion, consented  to  take  charge  of  this  branch  Mission. 
The  native  name  of  the  site  was  N anaguani.  On  Decem- 
ber 14,  Padre  Sarria,  assisted  by  several  other  priests, 
conducted  the  ceremony  of  dedication  to  San  Rafael  Arc- 
angel.  It  was  originally  intended  to  be  an  asistencia  of 
San  Francisco,  but  although  there  is  no  record  that  it  was 
ever  formally  raised  to  the  dignity  of  an  independent  Mis- 
sion, it  is  called  and  enumerated  as  such  from  the  year 
1823  in  all  the  reports  of  the  Fathers.  To-day,  not  a brick 
of  its  walls  remains ; the  only  evidence  of  its  existence 
being  the  few  old  pear  trees  planted  early  in  its  history. 

There  are  those  who  contend  that  San  Rafael  was 
founded  as  a direct  check  to  the  southward  aggressions  of 
the  Russians,  who  in  1812  had  established  Fort  Ross  but 
sixty-five  miles  north  of  San  Francisco.  There  seems, 
however,  to  be  no  recorded  authority  for  this  belief,  al- 
though it  may  easily  be  understood  how  anxious  this  close 
proximity  of  the  Russians  made  the  Spanish  authorities. 

They  had  further  causes  of  anxiety.  The  complica- 
tions between  Mexico  and  Spain,  which  culminated  in  the 
independence  of  the  former,  and  then  the  establishment 
of  the  Empire,  gave  the  leaders  enough  to  occupy  their 
minds. 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  41 


The  final  establishment  took  place  in  1823,  without  any 
idea  of  founding  a new  Mission.  The  change  to  San  Rafael 
had  been  so  beneficial  to  the  sick  Indians  that  Canon  Fer- 
nandez, Prefect  Payeras,  and  Governor  Argiiello  decided 
to  transfer  bodily  the  Mission  of  San  Francisco  from  the 
peninsula  to  the  mainland  north  of  the  bay,  and  make  San 
Rafael  dependent  upon  it.  An  exploring  expedition  was 
sent  out  which  somewhat  carefully  examined  the  whole 
neighborhood  and  finally  reported  in  favor  of  the  Sonoma 
Valley.  The  report  being  accepted,  on  July  4,  1823,  a 
cross  was  set  up  and  blessed  on  the  site,  which  was  named 
New  San  Francisco. 

Padre  Altimira,  one  of  the  explorers,  now  wrote  to  the 
padre  presidente  — Senan  — explaining  what  he  had  done, 
and  his  reasons  for  so  doing;  stating  that  San  Francisco 
could  no  longer  exist,  and  that  San  Rafael  was  unable  to 
subsist  alone.  Discussion  followed,  and  Sarrfa,  the  suc- 
cessor of  Senan,  who  had  died,  refused  to  authorize  the 
change ; expressing  himself  astonished  at  the  audacity 
of  those  who  had  dared  to  take  so  important  a step  with- 
out consulting  the  supreme  government.  Then  Altimira, 
infuriated,  wrote  to  the  Governor,  who  had  been  a party 
to  the  proposed  removal,  concluding  his  tirade  by  saying: 
46 1 came  to  convert  gentiles  and  to  establish  new  missions, 
and  if  I cannot  do  it  here,  which,  as  we  all  agree,  is  the 
best  spot  in  California  for  the  purpose,  I will  leave  the 
country.” 

Governor  Argiiello  assisted  his  priestly  friend  as  far  as 
he  was  able,  and  apprised  Sarrfa  that  he  would  sustain 
the  new  establishment ; although  he  would  withdraw  the 
order  for  the  suppression  of  San  Rafael.  A compromise 
was  then  effected  by  which  New  San  Francisco  was  to 
remain  a Mission  in  regular  standing,  but  neither  San 
Rafael  nor  old  San  Francisco  were  to  be  disturbed. 

Is  it  not  an  inspiring  subject  for  speculation?  Where 
would  the  modern  city  of  San  Francisco  be,  if  the  irate 


42  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Father  and  plotting  politicians  of  those  early  days  had 
been  successful  in  their  schemes? 

The  new  Mission,  all  controversy  being  settled,  was  for- 
mally dedicated  on  Passion  Sunday,  April  4,  1824,  by 
Altimira,  to  San  Francisco  Solano,  “ the  great  apostle  to 
the  Indies.”  There  were  now  two  San  Franciscos,  de  Asis 
and  Solano,  and  because  of  the  inconvenience  arising  from 
this  confusion,  the  popular  names,  Dolores  and  Solano, 
and  later,  Sonoma,  came  into  use. 

From  the  point  now  reached,  the  history  of  the  Missions 
is  one  of  distress,  anxiety,  and  final  disaster.  Their  great 
work  was  practically  ended. 

Before  entering  upon  the  history  of  each  Mission  in 
detail  it  is  well  to  recapitulate  the  list  of  Missions  estab- 
lished and  the  jurisdiction  to  which  each  one  belonged. 
As  has  been  shown,  a presidio  was  established  for  the 
military  guardianship  of  the  Missions.  Each  presidio 
was  responsible  for  all  the  Missions  and  pueblos  under  its 
jurisdiction  as  follows: 

Jurisdiction  of  San  Diego. 

Presidio  of  San  Diego ; Mission  of  San  Gabriel ; Mission  of 
San  Juan  Capistrano ; Mission  of  San  Diego ; Mission  of  San 
Luis  Rey. 

Jurisdiction  of  Santa  Barbara. 

Presidio  of  Santa  Barbara ; Mission  of  La  Purisima ; Mission 
of  Santa  Ines ; Mission  of  Santa  Barbara;  Mission  of  Buena- 
ventura ; Mission  of  San  Fernando  ; Pueblo  of  La  Reyna  de  Los 
Angeles. 

Jurisdiction  of  Monterey. 

Presidio  of  Monterey ; Village  of  Branciforte  ; Mission  of  San 
Juan  Bautista ; Mission  of  San  Carlos ; Mission  of  Nuestra 
Senora  de  Soledad  ; Mission  of  San  Antonio ; Mission  of  San 
Miguel ; Mission  of  San  Luis  Obispo. 


Plate  X 


b.  SANTA  CLARA  MISSION  IN  1849 


THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  MISSIONS  43 


Jurisdiction  of  San  Francisco. 

Presidio  of  San  Francisco  ; Pueblo  of  San  Jose  de  Guadalupe  ; 
Mission  of  San  Francisco  Solano  ; Mission  of  San  Rafael ; Mission 
of  San  Francisco  ; Mission  of  Santa  Clara  ; Mission  of  San  Jose  ; 
Mission  of  Santa  Cruz. 


44  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  II 

JUNIPERO  SERRA  AND  HIS  COADJUTORS 

TO  the  indomitable  energy  of  Galvez,  the  California 
Missions  owed  much,  but  his  work  was  largely 
initial.  It  required  the  steady,  patient,  constant 
labors  of  men  on  the  ground,  to  see  that  the  plans  so  care- 
fully formulated  were  carried  out.  From  St.  Francis 
down,  the  chief  aim  of  the  members  of  his  order  has  been 
to  help  mankind.  Other  men  might  work  for  honor  or 
glory  or  fame  or  riches  or  power,  but  their  highest  en- 
deavor was  to  64  go  about  doing  good.”  Self-renunciation, 
a prodigality  of  giving  of  one’s  self  for  others,  were  the 
chief  means  of  salvation  to  them.  Not  alone  by  praying  in 
a cell,  doing  penance,  and  reciting  prayers  were  their  souls 
to  be  saved,  but  by  yielding  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Divine  One 
of  whom  one  of  His  persecutors  cried : 44  He  saved  others, 
Himself  he  cannot  save.”  Oh ! for  more  of  this  divine  un- 
selfishness in  those  who  stand  as  the  ambassadors  of  God. 
What  the  world  needs  is  men  who  will  spend  themselves 
freely  to  benefit  others.  Life,  example,  unselfish  work  are 
more  effective  than  preaching,  and  many  more  hearts  have 
been  reached  by  the  devotion  of  a sister  of  charity  to  the 
needy  sick  than  by  the  eloquence  of  a cardinal. 

Francis  of  Assisi  believed  this  with  all  his  soul.  The 
order  that  bears  his  name  has  always  been  more  or  less 
full  of  the  same  spirit.  In  Junipero  Serra  St.  Francis 
had  a worthy  son  and  follower.  All  through  life  he  was 
simple,  single-hearted,  enthusiastic,  a firm  believer  in  Holy 
Church,  with  never  a doubt  as  to  its  mission,  and  with  a 
practical  turn  to  his  mind  that  was  bound  to  make  a sue- 


SERRA  AND  HIS  COADJUTORS 


45 


cess  of  everything  he  undertook.  A firm  believer  in  mir- 
acles, yet  he  knew  how  to  plan  for  a long  campaign  of 
hard  work  with  little  result ; like  a child  in  dealing  with 
Indians,  yet  hard-headed  enough  to  circumvent  the  plot- 
tings of  indifferent  and  selfish  politicians.  This  was  the 
man  chosen  by  his  college  of  San  Fernando,  in  the  City  of 
Mexico,  to  carry  out  the  plans  of  Galvez  for  the  christian- 
izing of  the  aborigines  of  the  new  country  of  California. 

He  was  born  on  the  24th  of  November,  1713,  at  Petra, 
in  the  Island  of  Majorca.  His  parents  were  devout  catho- 
lics, and  the  boy  being  of  the  gentle,  obedient,  naturally 
good  kind,  it  was  borne  in  upon  them  that  he  was  espe- 
cially fitted  to  be  a priest;  therefore  they  early  sent  him 
to  Palma,  the  capital,  there  to  be  under  the  wise  and 
benign  influences  of  a priest  of  the  cathedral.  This  devout 
man  so  led  the  impressionable  mind  of  the  lad  that  when 
he  was  seventeen  years  old  he  applied  to  the  Franciscan 
Convent  to  be  allowed  to  enter,  and  on  the  14th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1730,  he  made  his  profession  as  a novitiate.  Dur- 
ing the  year  of  his  probation  he  was  peculiarly  attracted 
to  the  lives  of  the  missionaries  to  the  Indians.  Something 
in  the  abandon  of  enthusiasm  with  which  these  men  gave 
up  all  the  world  holds  dear  for  the  salvation  of  the  souls 
of  these  poor  savages  so  appealed  to  the  large-eyed,  gentle- 
hearted,  earnest-souled  youth  that,  then  and  there,  his  vo- 
cation for  life  was  settled.  It  is  a remarkable  proof  of 
the  power  of  the  printed  word  over  the  very  inmost  soul 
of  an  ardent  and  impressionable  youth. 

On  the  15th  of  September,  1731,  he  took  his  final  vows 
and  assumed  the  name  of  Junipero,  out  of  love  for  the 
jovial  and  pure-hearted  companion  of  St.  Francis;  he  of 
whom  the  saint  once  said,  “ O that  I had  a forest  of  such 
junipers.”  Here  was  another  sapling  just  growing  in 
one  of  the  nurseries  he  had  established  that  was  to  lead 
other  fervent  souls  to  a like  remark. 

Before  his  profession  Junipero  writes  that  he  was  small 


46  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


and  somewhat  puny,  but  now  he  immediately  sprang  up, 
broadened  out,  and  became  well  and  strong.  Sent  to  an- 
other college  to  study  philosophy  and  theology,  he  worked 
so  diligently  that  he  was  soon  made  a professor,  and 
received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  He  began  to 
preach  also,  and  the  simple-minded  fervor  of  such  an 
implicit  believer,  who  was  yet  so  learned,  combined  with 
the  clear-headed  way  he  had  of  looking  at  things,  soon 
brought  him  great  fame  as  a pulpit  orator.  As  a teacher 
he  was  equally  successful.  Indeed  the  pathway  of  fame 
and  honor  was  clearly  before  him.  He  had  but  to  open 
the  door  himself,  and  enter  it.  The  Church  of  Rome  has 
never  been  niggardly  in  its  gifts  to  its  able  sons,  and  here 
was  one  who  soon  could  have  had  pretty  nearly  all  he 
might  have  asked.  Yet  he  wilfully  and  willingly  turned 
away  from  the  shining  pathway,  and  begged  to  be  sent 
away  to  a dark  and  unknown  road,  where  trials,  diffi- 
culties, dangers,  and  possible  death  awaited  him.  He 
longed  to  be  a missionary  to  the  heathen.  The  theology 
of  Dante  was  a real,  terrible,  absorbing  truth  to  him. 
Only  to  such  a belief  was  such  work  as  his  possible.  Hell, 
with  its  dire  circles  of  horror  and  terror  for  those  who 
were  unbelievers  in  the  Christ  he  worshipped,  yawned  be- 
fore the  feet  of  these  untamed  and  rude  natives.  If  they 
should  be  trained  into  a knowledge  of  the  Church  and  its 
saving  ordinances  by  an  apostolic  guide,  they  could  attain 
a new  hereafter.  Purgatory  was  open,  and  from  thence, 
duly  purged  from  their  sin  and  ignorance,  they  might 
climb  into  the  blessed  regions  of  Paradise.  Felicity  untold, 
then,  to  that  man  who  would  brave  their  savagery,  dare 
their  treachery,  love  them  even  in  their  unlovableness,  and 
thus  lead  them  into  the  fold  of  the  Church. 

Who  should  do  it?  Should  he,  Serra,  with  his  soul 
athirst  for  great  deeds,  full  of  bravery  and  heroism,  stand 
by,  in  order  to  listen  to  the  applause  of  the  civilized  world 
as  his  words  of  burning  eloquence  pleased  cultured  ears, 


SERRA  AND  HIS  COADJUTORS 


47 


and  let  some  half-hearted,  half-in-earnest  priest  go  out 
to  these  degraded  savages?  No!  The  greater  their  need 
and  danger,  the  greater  the  necessity  for  speed,  power, 
and  earnestness  in  the  one  who  should  go  to  them.  So, 
begging  to  be  allowed  to  leave  the  world  and  its  vain 
applause,  society  and  its  caresses,  civilization  and  its  lux- 
urious comforts,  casting  all  these  things  behind  him,  he 
gladly,  joyfully,  and  yet  seriously  requested  his  superiors 
to  allow  him  to  go  as  a missionary. 

“Narrow,”  some  may  say  he  was!  “His  theological 
conceptions  crude  and  bigoted ! ” So  were  Dante’s,  but 
that  did  not  prevent  him  from  giving  the  Divine  Comedy 
to  the  world.  And  Milton,  too,  cannot  be  designated  as 
“ broad,”  yet  Paradise  Lost  will  live  when  many  of  the 
valueless  expressions  of  these  days  have  sunken  into  the 
“ backward  of  time  ” and  been  forgotten. 

During  his  college  days  his  close  companions  were  Palou, 
Verges,  Crespf,  and  Vincens,  who  were  all  more  or  less 
dominated  by  the  spirit  of  Serra,  and  when,  finally,  the 
authorities  allowed  him  to  join  a band  of  missionaries  that 
was  gathering  at  Cadiz,  ready  to  go  to  Mexico,  Palou, 
without  hesitation,  set  out  with  him.  And  when,  at  Cadiz, 
he  learned  that  three  of  those  who  were  there  desired  to 
withdraw  he  blessed  God  for  the  opportunity  and  imme- 
diately begged  for  his  other  three  companions  to  be  sent 
in  their  place.  This  was  granted,  and  the  five,  after  a 
fearfully  hard  voyage  of  ninety-nine  days,  in  which  they 
were  reduced  to  great  straits  for  want  of  water,  arrived 
at  Vera  Cruz.  On  the  voyage  Serra’s  boundless  devotion 
and  enthusiasm  would  not  let  him  rest.  He  recited  the 
mass  daily  and  spent  long  hours  in  the  night  hearing 
confessions.  He  took  the  scarcity  of  water  as  a training 
for  the  future,  and  naively  remarked  when  asked  if  he  did 
not  suffer  with  thirst:  “ Not  specially,  since  I have  found 
out  the  secret  of  not  feeling  thirsty,  which  is,  to  eat  little 
and  talk  less,  so  as  not  to  waste  the  saliva.” 


48  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Another  proof  of  his  determination  to  harden  himself 
for  his  chosen  work  is  given  in  the  fact  that  he  refused 
to  avail  himself  of  the  transportation  provided  from  Vera 
Cruz  to  the  City  of  Mexico,  but  asked  to  be  allowed  to 
walk.  When  permission  was  given,  he  and  a companion, 
without  provisions  or  guide,  started  forth  on  that  tramp 
of  a hundred  leagues,  relying  solely  upon  Providence  and 
the  goodness  of  the  people  whom  they  should  meet.  It 
was  such  simple  devotion  combined  with  practical  good 
sense  that  developed  the  man.  I say  practical  good  sense 
— not  common-sense,  for  this  and  that  are  quite  different. 
Here  was  a man  preparing  himself  for  hardships  that  he 
might  have  to  undergo  ^voluntarily,  by  voluntarily  enter- 
ing into  them.  He  was  putting  himself  into  training,  just 
as  an  athlete  does  for  a test  of  strength,  and  therein  lay 
his  practical  good  sense.  Pie  was  educating  himself,  by 
overcoming  obstacles  now,  to  bravely  and  fearlessly  meet 
the  obstacles  he  knew  he  might  expect  in  later  life. 

It  was  on  the  last  day  of  1749  that  he  gratefully 
rendered  thanks  for  his  safe  journey  at  the  altar  of  Our 
Lady  of  Guadalupe,  and  the  next  morning,  New  Year’s 
Day,  1750,  he  entered  the  portals  of  the  College  of  San 
Fernando,  of  which  he  was  ultimately  to  become  the  most 
famous  and  honored  son. 

To  recount  his  life  for  the  next  seventeen  years  is  to 
tell  of  work  well  and  devoutly  performed,  a Mission  suc- 
cessfully conducted  for  several  years  among  the  Indians 
of  the  Sierra  Gorda,  and  others  elsewhere,  in  places  diffi- 
cult of  access ; a veritable  apostle  wherever  he  went.  He 
was  appointed  to  the  Missions  then  being  founded  on  the 
San  Saba,  in  Texas,  but  for  some  reason  could  not  go, 
and  those  who  were  sent  in  his  stead  were  brutally  mur- 
dered. The  coincidence  seems  like  a special  providence. 
God  had  important  work  for  him  to  do  and  was  just 
“ saving  his  light  to  spend.” 

And  when  the  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits  occurred,  then 


Plate  XI 


§ i/os  0OSA4& 

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TITLE-PAGE  OF  MARRIAGE  REGISTER  OF  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO, 
IN  PRESIDENT  SERRA’S  HANDWRITING 


SERRA  AND  HIS  COADJUTORS 


49 


was  the  time.  God  unclasped  His  hand  and  let  his  “ glow- 
worm ” out  to  give  light  to  those  who  needed  it.  Serra 
was  at  once  chosen  by  the  college  authorities  to  take 
charge  of  the  Lower  California  Missions,  and,  as  we  have 
seen,  he  and  Galvez  got  along  so  well  together,  that  Serra 
started  for  the  new  California  with  his  good  wishes  and 
promises  of  material  assistance.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at  that,  when  his  superior  handed  him  his  commission, 
tears  prevented  any  reply.  Here  was  a larger  fulfilment 
of  his  hopes  than  he  had  ever  dared  to  expect.  To  minister 
was  to  be  blessed;  but  to  minister  himself  and  to  be  able 
to  call  upon  others  to  minister  where  he  could  not  go,  — 
this  was  to  multiply  himself  many  times,  and  it  was  bliss 
indeed. 

Serra’s  life  in  California  is  largely  the  record  of  its 
early  history,  and  this  has  been  set  forth,  with  as  large 
degree  of  fulness  as  space  allowed,  in  the  pages  of  this 
book.  He  died  at  San  Carlos,  August  28,  1784,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Mission  he  loved  so  well,  in  the  beautiful 
Carmelo  Valley. 

Palou  now  became  the  president,  pro  tempore , in  obedi- 
ence to  the  expressed  wish  of  his  brother  friars,  and  yet 
in  the  records  not  a single  act  of  his  as  president  can  be 
found.  He  was  a fellow  student  with  Serra  and  Crespi, 
and  they  remained  warm  friends  through  life.  When 
Serra  left  the  peninsula  to  take  charge  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Missions  of  Alta  California,  Palou  was  given 
the  official  care  of  the  Missions,  and  he  it  was  who  handed 
them  over  finally  to  the  Dominicans  when  the  partition 
was  made.  This  was  in  May,  1773.  By  the  end  of  August 
he  was  in  San  Diego  and  a little  later  in  Monterey,  and 
when  Serra  went  to  Mexico,  Palou  was  acting  president  in 
his  absence.  At  the  time  of  Serra’s  death  Palou  was  con- 
templating retiring  to  the  seclusion  of  his  convent  of  San 
Fernando  in  the  City  of  Mexico.  He  remained,  however, 
mainly  engaged  in  writing  his  “ Life  of  Serra,”  until  Lasuen 

4 


50  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


received  his  appointment  in  September,  1785.  In  Febru- 
ary, 1786,  he  reached  Mexico,  and  July  18  he  was  elected 
its  guardian.  It  is  supposed  that  he  died  before  1790, 
though  there  is  some  uncertainty  in  the  matter,  which  later 
research  will  doubtless  clear  up. 

Undoubtedly  the  worthy  successor  to  Serra’s  mantle 
was  Padre  Fermin  Francisco  de  Lasuen,  born  in  Vitoria, 
Spain,  and  who,  as  one  of  Serra’s  co-workers  in  the  pen- 
insula went  up  to  Velicata  in  March,  1769,  to  bless  Ri- 
vera’s expedition  as  it  started  for  the  founding  of  San 
Diego.  His  first  work  in  Alta  California  was  at  San 
Gabriel,  where  he  served  from  December,  1773,  to  Sep- 
tember, 1775.  The  next  year  he  served  at  San  Juan  Cap- 
istrano, and  then  at  San  Diego  until  1785,  when  he  was 
elected  president.  When  he  died,  June  16,  1803,  he  had 
been  thirty  years  a missionary  in  California,  and  for 
eighteen  years  president  of  the  Missions.  Of  an  entirely 
different  type  of  man  from  the  stern,  ascetic  Serra,  he 
was  yet  as  full  of  piety,  zeal,  earnestness,  and  purity  of 
life,  and  the  Missions  prospered  under  his  guidance. 

On  account  of  the  long  distance,  both  in  miles  and  time, 
from  Mexico,  the  College  of  San  Fernando  deemed  it  wise 
to  elect  a provisional  president,  whose  duty  it  should  be 
to  assume  the  office  in  case  of  the  absence,  incapacitation, 
or  death  of  the  incumbent.  In  1798  Estevan  Tapis  was 
furnished  with  the  necessary  document  as  provisional  presi- 
dent, and  at  Lasuen’s  death  he  immediately  assumed  the 
office.  Three  times  he  was  appointed,  though  he  did  not 
deem  himself  fitted  for  the  office,  and  finally,  in  1812, 
when  relieved,  he  retired  to  Santa  Ines,  where  he  performed 
the  ordinary  duties  of  a missionary.  In  1815  he  was  sent 
to  San  Juan  Bautista,  where  he  died  and  was  buried 
in  1825. 

At  Tapis’s  retirement  in  1812  Jose  Senan  was  elected 
to  the  office.  He  resided  at  San  Buenaventura,  where  he 
had  been  the  missionary.  In  1815  he  resigned,  and  in 


SERRA  AND  HIS  COADJUTORS 


51 


1823  died  at  his  old  Mission.  At  the  same  time  that  he 
was  appointed,  however,  a new  and  superior  office  was 
created,  that  of  comisario  prefecto.  He  was  the  prelate, 
as  it  were,  of  the  Franciscans  in  California,  and  had 
supreme  control  of  all  temporal  affairs.  Sarrfa  was 
elected  to  this  office,  and  he  and  Senan  worked  harmoni- 
ously together.  At  the  end  of  six  years  Sarria  resigned. 

In  1815  Mariano  Payeras  was  elected  president,  and  he 
exercised  the  office  in  conjunction  with  Sarria,  as  prefect, 
until  the  resignation  of  the  latter,  when,  on  advices  from 
his  college,  he  assumed  the  duties  of  president  as  they 
were  exercised  by  Serra  and  Lasuen.  In  1819  the  position 
was  changed  again,  and  Payeras  was  raised  to  the  posi- 
tion of  prefect,  while  Senan  was  again  elected  president. 

Payeras  died  April  28,  1823,  at  his  Mission  of  Purisima, 
and  Senan,  who  had  been  appointed  by  Payeras  to  succeed 
him  in  the  higher  office,  also  died  August  24  of  the  same 
year  at  San  Buenaventura. 

Sarria  was  named  prefect  by  Senan,  and  held  both 
offices,  on  account  of  the  refusal  of  the  duly  elected  presi- 
dent to  accept  the  office. 

In  1825,  as  Sarria  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance 
to  the  newly  constituted  republic  of  Mexico,  Narcisco 
Duran  was  required  to  assume  the  duties  of  the  presi- 
dency, though  he  also  refused  the  oath.  But  Sarria  con- 
tinued to  perform  his  official  duties,  his  arrest  being  merely 
nominal. 

In  1827  Jose  Bernardo  Sanchez  was  elected  president 
and  served  until  1831,  when  Duran  again  assumed  the 
office. 

In  1833  ten  new  friars  of  the  Zacatecas  College  of 
Franciscans  came  to  take  the  places  of  the  old  mission- 
aries, and  it  was  decided  to  give  them  charge  of  all  the 
Missions  north  of  San  Carlos.  The  College  of  San  Fer- 
nando being  composed  entirely  of  Spaniards,  and  they 
having  been  banished  from  Mexico,  the  friars  of  a Mexi- 


U,  of  III,  Lib,,  Galesbufg 


52  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


can  college  were  thus  called  upon  to  supply  the  Missions 
of  California  with  the  needed  padres.  They  brought  their 
own  prefect  with  them,  in  the  person  of  Francisco  Garcia 
Diego,  who,  later,  became  the  first  bishop  of  California. 
Duran’s  authority  was  confined,  after  the  coming  of  Diego, 
to  the  Missions  south  of  San  Antonio. 

With  secularization  practically  came  the  abolishment  of 
both  offices,  prefect  and  president,  and  since  that  time  the 
Church  has  been  governed  in  the  usual  way. 

One  thing  is  seldom  remembered  by  the  generality  of 
writers  upon  the  Missions,  and  that  is  that  all  the  Padre 
presidentes  were  functionaries  of  the  Spanish  Inquisition. 
Serra,  Lasuen,  Tapis,  Sarria,  and  Payeras  were  all  in- 
quisitors. But  in  this,  as  in  everything  else,  it  is  per- 
sonality that  shows,  when  men  are  not  urged  on  by  the 
cries  of  a mob.  As  there  was  no  hue  and  cry  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  hearts  of  the  padres  were  humane,  we 
have  the  record  of  but  one  case  that  ever  came  to  trial. 
That  was  of  a Spanish  settler  in  Los  Angeles,  named 
Ramon  Sotilo,  who  was  accused  of  “ having  expressed 
views  on  religion  that  not  even  a Protestant  would  dare 
hold.”  The  prosecutor  asked  that  as  a punishment  “ he 
be  kept  in  jail  some  weeks  and  receive  daily  instruction 
from  the  Mission  priest.”  This  sentence  was  passed  upon 
the  culprit,  but  in  a few  days  he  escaped  from  jail,  and 
no  more  was  ever  heard  of  either  him  or  his  case. 


Plate  XII 


FIGURE  OF  CHRIST’S  AGONY  IN  THE  GARDEN. 
SAN  DIEGO  MISSION 


INDIANS  AT  THE  COMING  OF  THE  PADRES  53 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  INDIANS  AT  THE  COMING  OF  THE  PADRES 

IT  is  generally  believed  that  the  California  Indian  in 
his  original  condition  was  one  of  the  most  miserable 
and  wretched  of  the  world’s  aborigines.  As  one 
writer  puts  it: 

“ When  discovered  by  the  padres  he  was  almost  naked,  half 
starved,  living  in  filthy  little  hovels  built  of  tule,  speaking  a 
meagre  language  broken  up  into  as  many  different  and  inde- 
pendent dialects  as  there  were  tribes,  having  no  laws  and  few 
definite  customs,  cruel,  simple,  lazy,  and  — in  one  word  which 
best  describes  such  a condition  of  existence — wretched.  There 
are  some  forms  of  savage  life  that  we  can  admire  ; there  are 
others  that  can  only  excite  our  disgust ; of  the  latter  were  the 
California  Indians.” 

This  is  the  general  attitude  taken  by  most  writers  of 
this  later  day,  as  well  as  of  the  padres  themselves,  yet  I 
think  I shall  be  able  to  show  that  in  some  regards  it  is 
a mistaken  one.  I do  not  believe  the  Indians  were  the 
degraded  and  brutal  creatures  the  padres  and  others  have 
endeavored  to  make  out.  This  is  no  charge  of  bad  faith 
against  these  writers.  It  is  merely  a criticism  of  their 
judgment.  Twenty-five  years  of  acquaintance  and  fre- 
quent association  with  the  Indians  of  Nevada,  California, 
and  the  Southwest  have  demonstrated  several  important 
things.  Indians,  like  other  people,  are  not  to  be  judged 
by  the  clothes  they  wear,  or  do  not  wear.  Exterior  ap- 
pearances are  by  no  means  to  be  relied  upon  any  more 
than  when  Thomas  Carlyle  wrote  his  “ Sartor  Resartus.” 


54  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


It  is  the  instinctive  habit  of  the  missionary  to  record,  as 
of  chief  importance,  the  evil,  degrading,  and  hideous  things 
that  strike  him  in  the  character  of  those  to  whom  he  comes 
to  minister.  Who  has  not  recognized  this  in  listening  to 
the  stories  of  returned  missionaries  from  India  and  Africa? 

“ Where  every  prospect  pleases, 

And  only  man  is  vile.” 

It  has  ever  been  the  same.  To  the  conquered  Britons 
the  Vikings  were  hideous  sea-rovers.  To  the  Latins  the 
Goths  and  Vandals  were  void  of  all  human  traits.  Yet 
history  has  revealed  many  wonderfully  excellent  things 
alike  in  Viking,  Goth,  and  Vandal.  The  Moors  overran 
Spain,  and  were  terrible  creatures  to  those  whom  they 
subjugated,  yet  they  left  an  architecture  and  an  influence 
which  have  come  down  to  us  and  are  now  coloring  the  lives 
of  our  citizens  on  the  shores  of  the  Sun-down  Sea.  Every- 
thing depends  upon  the  angle  of  vision  at  which  things 
are  seen.  In  the  case  of  the  subjugated  European  peoples 
the  angle  was  oblique ; and  equally  so  was  it,  I believe,  in 
the  case  of  those  who  have  judged  the  Indians  of  California. 

The  fact  that  in  a few  years  the  Indians  became  re- 
markably competent  in  so  many  fields  of  skilled  labor  is  the 
best  answer  to  the  unfounded  charges  of  abject  savagery. 
Peoples  are  not  civilized  nor  educated  in  a day.  Brains 
cannot  be  put  into  a monkey,  no  matter  how  well  educated 
his  teacher  is.  There  must  have  been  the  mental  quality, 
the  ability  to  learn;  or  even  the  miraculous  patience,  per- 
severance, and  love  of  the  missionaries  would  not  have 
availed  to  teach  them,  in  several  hundred  years,  much  less, 
then,  in  the  half-century  they  had  them  under  their  con- 
trol, the  many  things  we  know  they  learned. 

The  Indians,  prior  to  the  coming  of  the  padres,  were 
skilled  in  some  arts,  as  the  making  of  pottery,  basketry, 
canoes,  stone  axes,  arrow  heads,  spear  heads,  stone  knives, 
and  the  like.  Holder  says  of  the  inhabitants  of  Santa 


INDIANS  AT  THE  COMING  OF  THE  PADRES  55 


Catalina  that  although  their  implements  were  of  stone, 
wood,  or  shell  44  the  skill  with  which  they  modelled  and 
made  their  weapons,  mortars,  and  steatite  ollas , their  rude 
mosaics  of  abalone  shells,  and  their  manufacture  of  pipes, 
medicine-tubes,  and  flutes  give  them  high  rank  among 
savages.”  The  mortars  found  throughout  California, 
some  of  which  are  now  to  be  seen  in  the  museums  of 
Santa  Barbara,  Los  Angeles,  San  Diego,  etc.,  are  models 
in  shape  and  finish.  As  for  their  basketry,  I have  else- 
where 1 shown  that  it  alone  stamps  them  as  an  artistic, 
mechanically  skilful,  and  mathematically  inclined  people, 
and  the  study  of  their  designs  and  their  meanings  reveals 
a love  of  nature,  poetry,  sentiment,  and  religion  that  put 
them  upon  a superior  plane.  Because  people  live  on  food 
that  we  do  not  eat,  that  is  no  evidence  of  barbarism.  To 
the  Englishman  the  frog-eating  of  the  Frenchman  was 
long  a source  of  offence  — the  stupid  insularity  of  the 
one  deeming  it  a sign  of  inferiority  in  the  other.  Now 
he  imitates  his  brother  across  the  channel  in  this  very 
particular,  and  glories  in  his  epicurean  taste.  So  with 
China.  The  rudest  and  most  ignorant  sailor  that  ever  left 
the  shores  of  a pride-besotted  people  can  sneer  at  the 
civilization  of  thousands  of  years  in  Hindoo,  Buddhist,  or 
Chinaman  because  of  some  racial  difference  in  diet,  totally 
incompetent  to  see  that  his  own  habits  are  immeasurably 
more  disgusting  and  revolting  than  the  ones  he  criticises. 

Cabrillo  was  the  first  white  man  whom  we  know  visited 
the  Indians  of  the  coast  of  California.  He  made  his 
memorable  journey  in  1542-3.  In  1539,  Ulloa  sailed  up 
the  Gulf  of  California,  and,  a year  later,  Alarcon  and 
Diaz  explored  the  Colorado  River,  possibly  to  the  point 
where  Yuma  now  stands.  These  three  men  came  in  con- 
tact with  the  Cocopahs  and  the  Yumas,  and  possibly  with 
other  tribes. 

1 Indian  Basketry,  especially  the  chapters  on  Form,  Poetry,  and 
Symbolism. 


56  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Cabrillo  tells  of  the  Indians  with  whom  he  held  commu- 
nication. They  were  timid,  and  somewhat  hostile  at  first, 
but  easily  appeased.  Some  of  them,  especially  those  living 
on  the  islands  (now  known  as  San  Clemente,  Santa  Cata- 
lina, Anacapa,  Santa  Barbara,  Santa  Rosa,  San  Miguel, 
and  Santa  Cruz),  were  superior  to  those  found  inland. 
They  rowed  in  pine  canoes  having  a seating  capacity  of 
twelve  or  thirteen  men,  and  were  expert  fishermen.  They 
dressed  in  the  skins  of  animals,  were  rude  agriculturists, 
and  built  for  themselves  shelters  or  huts  of  willows,  tules, 
and  mud. 

Vizcaino,  who  “ rediscovered 99  the  country  in  1602, 
wrote  a letter  to  the  King  of  Spain,  dated  May  23,  1603, 
in  which  he  thus  speaks  of  the  Indians: 

“ This  land  has  a genial  climate,  its  waters  are  good,  and  it  is 
very  fertile,  to  judge  from  the  varied  and  luxuriant  growth  of 
trees  and  plants  ; for  I saw  some  of  the  fruits,  particularly 
chestnuts  and  acorns,  which  are  larger  than  those  of  Spain. 
And  it  is  thickly  settled  with  people  whom  I found  to  be  of 
gentle  disposition,  peaceable  and  docile,  and  who  can  be  brought 
readily  within  the  fold  of  the  Holy  Gospel  and  into  subjection 
to  the  crown  of  Your  Majesty.  Their  food  consists  of  seeds, 
which  they  have  in  abundance  and  variety,  and  of  the  flesh  of 
game  : such  as  bears,  bisons,  and  deer,  which  are  larger  than 
cows,  and  of  neat  cattle,  and  many  other  animals.  The  Indians 
are  of  good  stature  and  fair  complexion,  the  women  being  some- 
what smaller  in  size  than  the  men,  and  of  pleasing  countenance. 
The  clothing  of  the  people  of  the  coast-lands  consists  of  the 
skins  of  the  sea-wolves  abounding  there,  which  they  tan  and 
dress  better  than  is  done  in  Castile  ; they  possess,  also,  in  great 
quantity,  flax  like  that  of  Castile,  hemp  and  cotton,  from  which 
they  make  fishing-lines  and  nets  for  rabbits  and  hares.  They 
have  vessels  of  pine  wood  very  well  made,  which,  having  fourteen 
paddlemen  at  a side,  they  navigate  with  great  dexterity,  even  in 
very  stormy  weather.  I was  informed  by  them  and  many  others 
whom  I met  in  great  numbers  along  more  than  eight  hundred 
leagues  of  a thickly  settled  coast,  that  inland  there  are  great 
communities,  which  they  invited  me  to  visit  with  them.” 


INDIANS  AT  THE  COMING  OF  THE  PADRES  57 


Padre  Salmeron  says  of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of 
Santa  Catalina: 

“ They  are  fishermen,  using  boats  of  boards  ; the  prows  and 
poops  high,  and  the  middle  very  low.  Some  will  hold  more 
than  twenty  persons.  There  are  many  sea-lions,  the  which  these 
Indians  hunt  for  food  ; and  with  the  tanned  skins  they  all  cover 
themselves,  men  and  women,  and  it  is  their  usual  protection. 
The  women  are  very  handsome  and  decent.  The  children  are 
white  and  ruddy  and  very  smiling.  Of  these  Indians,  many 
wished  to  come  with  the  Spaniards ; they  are  so  loving  as  all 
this.” 

In  1770  Don  Miguel  Costanso  tells  of  the  craftsmen 
of  the  California  Indians  in  their  aboriginal  condition. 
He  says: 

“ The  men  work  handsome  trays  of  wood,  with  firm  inlays  of 
coral  or  of  bone ; and  some  vases  of  much  capacity,  closing  at 
the  mouth,  which  appear  to  be  made  with  a lathe  — and  with 
this  machine  they  would  not  come  out  better  hollowed  nor  of 
more  perfect  form.  They  give  the  whole  a lustre  which  appears 
the  finished  handiwork  of  a skilled  Artisan.” 

He  says  further: 

“ The  dexterity  and  skill  of  these  Indians  is  surpassing  in  the 
construction  of  their  Launches  made  of  Pine  planking  (tublazon). 
They  are  from  eight  to  ten  varas  (22  to  27^  feet)  in  length,  in- 
cluding their  rake,  and  of  a vara  and  half  (4  feet  1^  inches) 
beam.  Into  their  fabric  enters  no  iron  whatever,  of  the  use  of 
which  they  know  little.  But  they  fasten  the  boards  with  firm- 
ness, one  to  another,  working  their  drills  just  so  far  apart  and  at 
a distance  of  an  inch  from  the  edge,  the  (holes)  in  the  upper 
boards  corresponding  with  those  in  the  lower,  and  thro’  these 
holes  they  pass  strong  lashings  of  Deer  sinews.  They  pitch  and 
calk  the  seams,  and  paint  the  whole  in  sightly  colors.  They 
handle  the  (boats)  with  equal  cleverness,  and  three  or  four  men 
go  out  to  the  open  sea  to  fish  in  them,  as  they  have  capacity  to 
carry  eight  or  ten.  They  use  long  oars  with  two  blades,  and 


58  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


row  with  unspeakable  lightness  and  velocity.  They  know  all 
the  arts  of  fishing,  and  Fish  abound  along  their  Coasts,  as  has 
been  said  of  San  Diego.  They  have  communication  and  Com- 
merce with  the  Natives  of  the  Islands,  whence  they  get  the 
beads  of  coral  which  are  current  in  place  of  money  thro’  all  these 
Lands ; altho’  they  hold  in  more  esteem  the  glass  beads  which 
the  Spaniards  gave  them  — and  offered  in  exchange  for  these 
whatever  they  had,  like  trays.  Otter  skins,  baskets,  and  wooden 
plates.  More  than  anything  they  appreciate  whatsoever  clasp- 
knife  (navaja)  or  cutting  instrument ; whose  advantages  over 
the  (implements)  of  flint  they  admire ; it  causing  them  much 
satisfaction  to  see  use  made  of  the  axes  and  machetes,  and  the 
facility  with  which  the  soldiers,  to  make  firewood,  felled  a 
Tree  with  the  said  Instruments.” 

Padre  CrespFs  testimony  is  also  useful.  In  telling  of 
the  land  expedition  which  led  to  the  discovery  of  the  Bay 
of  San  Francisco  he  thus  writes  of  the  Indians: 

“ It  was  observed  that  the  Indians  along  that  coast  had  larger 
tents  than  common  among  the  natives,  and  that  each  family 
lived  in  a separate  hut.  From  Santa  Barbara  the  explorers 
passed  through  Santa  Clara  canyon,  where  there  are  now  so 
many  splendid  farm-homes.  The  dwellings  of  the  then  inhabi- 
tants were  made  of  a few  poles  stuck  in  the  ground,  forming  a 
semicircle,  brought  together  in  a conical  shape,  with  bundles  of 
sage  brush  thrown  over,  leaving  an  opening  at  the  top  which 
served  to  permit  the  escape  of  smoke  and  to  let  in  the  air  and 
light.  Near  San  Buenaventura  they  found  the  Indians  more  in- 
dustrious and  athletic,  and  the  women  better  clad.  They 
cleverly  made  well  shaped  canoes  of  pine,  and  all  their  work 
was  well  finished.  Some  of  their  fishing  boats  would  hold  ten 
men ; they  would  go  out  to  sea  some  distance,  and  showed 
great  dexterity  in  managing  very  long  oars.  To  work  out  the 
timber  and  stone  they  used  only  tools  made  of  flint,  being 
ignorant  of  the  use  of  iron  and  steel.  They  readily  exchanged 
highly  polished  wooden  plates  for  a few  trinkets.” 

The  principal  written  source  of  authority  for  our 
knowledge  of  the  Indians  at  the  time  of  the  arrival  of 


INDIANS  AT  THE  COMING  OF  THE  PADRES  59 


the  Fathers  is  Fray  Geronimo  Boscana’s  44  Chinigchinich: 
A Historical  Account,  etc.,  of  the  Indians  of  San  Juan 
Capistrano.”  There  are  many  interesting  things  in  this 
account,  some  of  importance,  and  others  of  very  slight  value. 
He  insists  that  there  was  a great  difference  in  the  intelli- 
gence of  the  natives  north  of  Santa  Barbara  and  those  to 
the  south  in  favor  of  the  former.  Of  these  he  says  they 
44  are  much  more  industrious,  and  appear  an  entirely  dis- 
tinct race.  They  formed,  from  shells,  a kind  of  money, 
which  passed  current  among  them,  and  they  constructed 
out  of  logs  very  swift  and  excellent  canoes  for  fishing.” 

Of  the  character  of  his  Indians  he  had  a very  poor  idea. 
He  compares  them  to  monkeys  who  imitate,  and  especially 
in  their  copying  the  ways  of  the  white  men,  44  whom  they 
respect  as  beings  much  superior  to  themselves ; but  in  so 
doing,  they  are  careful  to  select  vice  in  preference  to  vir- 
tue. This  is  the  result,  undoubtedly,  of  their  corrupt  and 
natural  disposition.” 

Of  the  language  of  the  California  Indians  Boscana  says 
there  was  great  diversity,  finding  a new  dialect  almost 
every  fifteen  to  twenty  leagues. 

They  were  not  remarkably  industrious,  yet  the  men 
made  their  home  utensils,  bows  and  arrows,  the  several 
instruments  used  in  making  baskets,  and  also  constructed 
nets,  spinning  the  thread  from  yucca  fibres,  which  they 
beat  and  prepared  for  that  purpose.  They  also  built  the 
houses. 

The  women  gathered  seeds,  prepared  them2  and  did  the 
cooking,  as  well  as  all  the  household  duties.  They  made 
the  baskets,  all  other  utensils  being  made  by  the  men. 

The  dress  of  the  men,  when  they  dressed  at  all,  was 
with  the  skin  of  animals  thrown  over  the  shoulders,  leav- 
ing the  rest  of  the  body  exposed,  but  the  women  wore  a 
cloak  and  dress  of  twisted  rabbit-skins.  I have  found 
these  same  rabbit-skin  dresses  in  use  by  Mohaves  and 
Yumas  within  the  past  three  or  four  years. 


60  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


It  has  often  been  said  that  the  men  could  not  grow 
beards.  The  truth  is  that  they  plucked  out  the  hairs  one 
by  one,  using  a bivalve  shell  as  pincers.  To-day  many  of 
the  men  allow  the  beard  to  grow.  Some  have  a thinner 
beard,  a condition  which  is  doubtless  owing,  the  Indians 
believe,  to  the  long-continued  practice  of  plucking  out  the 
hairs. 

Men  and  women  alike  used  various  colored  pigments  on 
their  faces.  Red,  yellow,  and  blue  were  the  principal 
colors  chosen,  and  to-day,  at  their  festivals,  one  may  see 
these  Indians  decorated  in  exactly  the  same  fashion  that 
their  ancestors  have  followed  for  centuries. 

The  youths  were  required  to  keep  away  from  the  fire, 
in  order  that  they  might  learn  to  suffer  with  bravery  and 
courage.  They  were  forbidden  also  to  eat  certain  kinds 
of  foods,  to  teach  them  to  bear  deprivation  and  to  learn 
to  control  their  appetites.  In  addition  to  this  there  were 
certain  ceremonies  which  included  fasting,  abstinence  from 
drinking,  and  the  production  of  hallucinations  by  means 
of  a vegetable  drug,  called  pivat  (still  used,  by  the  way, 
by  some  of  the  Indians  of  Southern  California),  and  the 
final  branding  of  the  neophyte,  which  Boscana  describes  as 
follows : 66  A kind  of  herb  was  pounded  until  it  became 
sponge-like ; this  they  placed,  according  to  the  figure  re- 
quired, upon  the  spot  intended  to  be  burnt,  which  was 
generally  upon  the  right  arm,  and  sometimes  upon  the 
thick  part  of  the  leg  also.  They  then  set  fire  to  it,  and 
let  it  remain  until  all  that  was  combustible  was  consumed. 
Consequently,  a large  blister  immediately  formed,  and 
although  painful,  they  used  no  remedy  to  cure  it,  but  left 
it  to  heal  itself ; and  thus,  a large  and  perpetual  scar 
remained.  The  reason  alleged  for  this  ceremony  was  that 
it  added  greater  strength  to  the  nerves,  and  gave  a better 
pulse  for  the  management  of  the  bow.”  This  ceremony 
was  called  potense. 

Another  infliction  was  required  of  them  that  recalls  the 


INDIANS  AT  THE  COMING  OF  THE  PADRES  61 


descriptions  Frank  H.  Cushing  gave  of  the  initiation  cere- 
monies of  the  Zunis: 

“They  were  whipped  with  nettles,  and  covered  with  ants, 
that  they  might  become  robust,  and  the  infliction  was  always 
performed  in  summer,  during  the  months  of  July  and  August, 
when  the  nettle  was  in  its  most  fiery  state.  They  gathered 
small  bunches,  which  they  fastened  together,  and  the  poor  de- 
luded Indian  was  chastised,  by  inflicting  blows  with  them  upon 
his  naked  limbs,  until  unable  to  walk ; and  then  he  was  carried 
to  the  nest  of  the  nearest  and  most  furious  species  of  ants,  and 
laid  down  among  them,  while  some  of  his  friends,  with  sticks, 
kept  annoying  the  insects  to  make  them  still  more  violent.” 

The  education  of  the  girls  was  by  no  means  neglected. 

“ They  were  taught  to  remain  at  home,  and  not  to  roam  about 
in  idleness ; to  be  always  employed  in  some  domestic  duty,  so 
that,  when  they  were  older,  they  might  know  how  to  work,  and 
attend  to  their  household  duties ; such  as  procuring  seeds,  and 
cleaning  them  — making  “atole”  and  “pinole,”  which  are  kinds 
of  gruel,  and  their  daily  food.  When  quite  young,  they  have 
a small,  shallow  basket,  called  by  the  natives  “tucmel,”  with 
which  they  learn  the  way  to  clean  the  seeds,  and  they  are  also  in- 
structed in  grinding,  and  preparing  the  same  for  consumption.” 

When  a girl  was  married  her  father  gave  her  good 
advice  as  to  her  conduct.  She  must  be  faithful  to  her 
wifely  duties  and  do  nothing  to  disgrace  either  her  hus- 
band or  her  parents.  Children  of  tender  years  were  some- 
times betrothed  by  their  parents.  Padre  Boscana  says  he 
married  a couple,  the  girl  having  been  but  eight  or  nine 
months  old,  and  the  boy  two  years  when  they  were  con- 
tracted for  by  their  parents. 

Childbirth  was  natural  and  easy  with  them,  as  it  gen- 
erally is  with  all  primitive  peoples.  I have  known  an 
Indian  woman  to  give  birth  to  a child,  walk  half  a mile  to 
a stream,  step  into  it  and  wash  both  herself  and  the  new- 
born babe,  then  return  to  her  camp,  put  her  child  in  a 


62  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 

yakia , or  basket  cradle-carrier,  sling  it  over  her  back,  and 
start  on  a four  or  five  mile  journey,  on  foot,  up  the  rocky 
and  steep  sides  of  a canyon. 

A singular  custom  prevailed  among  these  people,  not 
uncommon  elsewhere.  The  men,  when  their  wives  were 
suffering  their  accouchement,  would  abstain  from  all  flesh 
and  fish,  refrain  from  smoking  and  all  diversions,  and  stay 
within  the  Kish,  or  hut,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  days. 

The  god  of  the  San  Juan  Indians  was  Chinigchinich, 
and  it  is  possible,  from  similarity  in  the  ways  of  appear- 
ing and  disappearing,  that  he  is  the  monster  Tauquitch 
of  the  Sabobas  and  Cahuillas  described  in  The  Legend  of 
Tauquitch  and  Algoot.1  This  god  was  a queer  compound 
of  goodness  and  evil,  who  taught  them  all  the  rites  and 
ceremonies  that  they  afterwards  observed. 

Many  of  the  men  and  a few  women  posed  as  possessing 
supernatural  powers  — witches,  in  fact,  and  such  was  the 
belief  in  their  power  that,  “ without  resistance,  all  im- 
mediately acquiesced  in  their  demands.”  They  also  had 
physicians  who  used  cold  water,  plasters  of  herbs,  whip- 
ping with  nettles  (doubtless  the  principle  of  the  counter 
irritant),  the  smoke  of  certain  plants,  and  incantations, 
with  a great  deal  of  general,  all-around  humbug  to  pro- 
duce their  cures.  I have  found  the  same  things  to-day 
among  the  Cahuillas,  these  people  calling  their  medicine 
men  “ ting'-i-vash.”  Boscana  thus  tells  of  methods  of 
treatment,  all  of  which  I have  seen  pursued: 

“They  placed  feathers  upon  his  head,  and  encircled  him 
entirely  with  these,  and  other  articles,  such  as  horse-hair,  grass, 
beads,  and  hairs  of  the  head  ; blowing  at  the  same  time  with 
their  mouths  towards  the  four  cardinal  points,  and  muttering  to 
themselves  certain  low  sounds  — certain  mysterious  words  — 
accompanied  with  antic  gesticulations,  of  which  no  one  knew 
the  meaning.  After  this,  one  of  them  applied  his  lips  to  the 

1 See  Folk  Lore  Journal,  October  1903. 


Plate  XIII 


Copyright , 1899,  by  C.  C.  Pierre  cy  Co. 

a.  AGED  INDIAN  NEOPHYTE,  SAN  LUIS  HEY  MISSION  b.  INDIAN  WASHING  IN  CREEK  ABOVE  PALA 


INDIANS  AT  THE  COMING  OF  THE  PADRES  63 


part  affected,  and  pretended  to  draw  from  it,  by  suction,  the 
particles,  which  they  had  stated  as  being  within,  and  exposed 
them  to  all  present.  The  spectators,  as  well  as  the  patient, 
placed  strict  confidence  in  the  fact,  and  were  satisfied  whether 
he  recovered  or  died. 

There  were  many  of  these  impostors  spread  about  the  country, 
who,  after  being  well  fed  and  paid  for  their  services,  made  all 
manner  of  ridicule  of  their  too  credulous  companions.  Wonder- 
ful as  it  may  appear,  oftentimes  they  performed  cures,  when  the 
patients  were  apparently  fast  verging  into  eternity,  and  in  the 
space  of  twenty-four  hours,  by  their  extravagances  and  witch- 
craft, they  have  enabled  them  to  rise  from  a bed  of  Sickness,  and 
unite  with  their  companions  in  their  domestic  employments.” 

If  this  were  the  only  testimony  upon  the  subject  of  the 
medicine  of  the  Indians  we  could  do  no  other  than  form 
a very  poor  idea  of  their  methods,  but,  fortunately,  we 
have  expert  testimony  from  an  entirely  impartial  author- 
ity, who,  besides  extolling  their  temescals,  or  sweat-baths, 
their  surgical  abilities,  as  displayed  in  the  operations  that 
were  performed  upon  skulls  that  have  since  been  exhumed, 
their  hygienic  customs,  which  he  declares  “ are  not  only 
commendable,  but  worthy  of  the  consideration  of  an  ad- 
vanced civilization,”  states  further: 

"It  has  been  reserved  for  the  California  Indian  to  furnish 
three  of  the  most  valuable  vegetable  additions  which  have  been 
made  to  the  Pharmacopoeia  during  the  last  twenty  years.  One, 
the  Eriodyction  Glutinosum,  growing  profusely  in  our  foothills, 
was  used  by  them  in  affections  of  the  respiratory  tract,  and  its 
worth  was  so  appreciated  by  the  Missionaries  as  to  be  named 
Yerba  Santa,  or  Holy  Plant.  The  second,  the  Rhamnus  pursh- 
iana,  gathered  now  for  the  market  in  the  upper  portions  of  the 
State,  is  found  scattered  through  the  timbered  mountains  of 
Southern  California.  It  was  used  as  a laxative,  and  on  account 
of  the  constipating  effect  of  an  acorn  diet,  was  doubtless  in  active 
demand.  So  highly  was  it  esteemed  by  the  followers  of  the 
Cross  that  it  was  christened  Casyara  Sagrada,  or  Sacred  Bark. 
The  third,  Grindelia  robusta,  was  used  in  the  treatment  of 


66  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


At  times  there  were  special  foods  for  men  and  special 
foods  for  women.  For  instance,  a hunter  ate  the  legs  of 
a rabbit  or  a deer,  with  the  idea  that  thereby  he  would  gain 
the  speed  displayed  by  these  animals.  He  ate  the  heart 
of  the  mountain  lion,  that  he  might  be  as  fearless  as  the 
wild  beast  itself.  In  eating  snakes,  the  Indian  desired  and 
expected  the  gliding  and  noiseless  quality  of  the  reptile  to 
become  a part  of  himself.  Women  refused  to  eat  salt 
lest  it  turn  their  hair  gray;  and  a nursing  mother  took 
a decoction  of  the  root  of  milk-weed,  in  order  to  promote 
lacteal  secretions. 

Most  effective  testimony  to  the  healthfulness  and  mod- 
eration of  their  habits  is  given  by  Dr.  Bard  when  he  thus 
refers  to  their  longevity: 

“That  they  possessed  as  a race  greater  longevity  than  their 
successors,  there  remains  no  doubt.  The  great  majority  of  skulls 
examined  are  indicative  of  very  advanced  age,  the  cranial  sutures 
being  entirely  consolidated,  with  no  vestiges  of  their  existence. 
The  records  of  the  Missions  furnish  many  instances  of  death  at 
extreme  old  age.  Those  of  San  Buenaventura  give  the  ages  of 
three  Indian  women  buried  there  as,  respectively,  100,  105,  and 
114  years.  Father  Martinez,  in  charge  of  the  Mission  of  San 
Miguel,  shortly  after  its  foundation,  wrote  that  it  possessed  three 
Indian  women  each  of  whom  was  more  than  100  years  old.  The 
records  of  the  other  Missions  reveal  the  presence  now  and  in  the 
past  of  numerous  Indian  centenarians.  The  ages  of  Fernando 
and  Placido,  who  died  at  Los  Angeles,  were  estimated  at  102 
and  137.  The  latter  danced  at  a fandango  a short  time  prior 
to  his  decease.  Justiniano  Roxas,  who  died  at  Santa  Cruz  in 
1878,  was  baptized  at  that  Mission  in  1792,  and  his  age  then  wa& 
put  down  by  the  officiating  padre  as  about  forty.  Within  the 
last  few  years  there  have  died  in  Kern  county  four  Indians, 
each  of  whom  was  undoubtedly  over  100  years  old.  They  were 
Canillo  (Alcalde  of  Tejon),  Alfonso,  Rafael,  and  Francisco.  They 
helped  to  build  the  Mission  of  San  Fernando.  An  Indian  named 
Gabriel  died  in  Monterey  some  time  ago  who  was  reported  to 
have  been  140  years  of  age.  Dr.  Remondino,  in  a paper  read 
before  the  State  Society  in  1890,  gives  some  interesting  expert- 


Plate  XIV 


AGED  INDIANS  AT  SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO,  PROM  PHOTOGRAPHS  BY  MISS  GRACE  NICHOLSON 


INDIANS  AT  THE  COMING  OF  THE  PADRES  67 


ences  of  prolonged  savage  life  in  San  Diego  county.  At  the 
Mission  of  San  Tomas  there  lived  an  old  Indian  140  years  old.  On 
the  Sweetwater  was  an  Indian  man  115  years  old,  and  one  died  at 
the  county  seat  109  years  old.  At  Capitan  Grande  were  several  In- 
dian women  over  100  years  old.  Warner’s  ranch  furnishes  one 
130  years  of  age.  The  present  chief  of  the  almost  extinct  local 
tribe  at  San  Buenaventura,  Juan  de  Jesus,  is  an  active  old  cen- 
tenarian, who  can  be  seen  on  the  streets  every  day.  As  an  evidence 
of  his  virility  it  may  be  said  that  the  last  of  his  series  of  squaws 
presented  him  ten  years  ago  with  twin  papooses.  Dr.  Ferguson 
of  Bakersfield  informs  me  that  an  old  Indian  named  Sebastian 
lives  there  who  at  the  age  90  rides  forty  to  fifty  miles  a day.” 

Throughout  the  country  the  Indians  have  left  quite  a 
number  of  picture  writings.  One  of  the  most  noted  groups 
of  these  is  found  east  of  the  San  Marcos  pass,  about 
sixteen  miles  northwest  of  Santa  Barbara.  Owing  to  color 
having  been  used,  and  the  pictographs  being  located  in 
a cave,  the  location  is  known  as  the  Painted  Cave.  The 
pictographs  are  in  red,  white,  yellow,  and  black,  and 
show  crosses,  conventionalized  forms  of  the  sun,  human 
figures,  circular  designs,  snake-like  figures,  tree-forms, 
centipedes,  etc. 

Possibly  these  pictographs  had  something  to  do  with 
their  early  worship,  but  as  far  as  I know,  no  endeavor 
was  ever  made  to  find  out  from  the  Indians  themselves. 
In  matters  pertaining  to  their  inner  thought  they  are 
always  exceedingly  reticent.  This  is  one  secret  of  the 
vast  amount  of  error  and  misunderstanding  that  has 
passed  current  as  fact  concerning  them. 

Few  men  have  known  the  Indian  more  sympathetically 
than  John  Comfort  Fillmore,  the  great  authority  on  ab- 
original music,  and  in  the  following  words  he  expresses 
my  own  thought  so  much  better  on  this  subject  than  I 
can  that  I quote  him  in  full: 

“ Of  course  there  are  serious  difficulties  in  the  way  of  acquir- 
ing this  knowledge.  The  Indian  is  always  suspicious  of  the 


68  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


white  man,  until  his  confidence  has  been  completely  won.  He 
is  always  expecting  his  white  visitor  to  look  on  his  religious 
ideas  and  feelings,  not  with  respect  and  sympathy,  but  with 
more  or  less  of  contempt.  fYou  will  not  believe  me/  said  a 
Sioux  priest  to  a friend  of  mine  who  was  his  guest  at  the  great 
Sun-dance,  but  I pray  to  God,  and  I am  answered.’  f Cer- 
tainly/ was  the  reply,  f why  not  ? * The  priest  looked  surprised 
and  said : “ But  your  people  think  my  people  are  dogs ! ’ 
Whoever  would  study  the  Indian  must  absolutely  divest  him- 
self of  all  feeling  of  superiority  of  any  kind,  and  think  of  his 
red  brethen  simply  as  men  like  himself,  differing,  to  be  sure,  in 
their  bringing-up  and  in  their  inherited  ideas,  but  as  well- 
intentioned  and  living  up  to  the  light  they  have  quite  as  well, 
on  the  average,  as  the  men  of  his  own  race.  If  he  can  show 
himself  brotherly  and  sympathetic  he  will,  sooner  or  later,  over- 
come the  natural  suspicion  with  which  the  Indian  at  first 
regards  him,  and  then  the  way  is  open  for  an  intelligent  com- 
prehension of  the  Indian  character.” 

The  religion  of  these  tribes  was  very  simple.  It  was 
a rude  kind  of  Naturq  worship  with  personified  divini- 
ties ; some  of  whom  were  undoubted  human  heroes  pos- 
sessing mythical  histories.  In  the  “ Journal  of  American 
Folk-Lore  ” for  October,  1903,  I have  related  the  story 
of  one  of  these  demigods,  Algoot  by  name,  who  slew  a 
cannibal  monster,  Tauquitch,  and  who  still  terrorizes  the 
superstitious  Indians  of  the  region  about  Mount  San 
Jacinto. 

Their  ceremonies  consisted  of  smoking  the  propitiatory 
pipe  — the  ascending  smoke  typifying  the  ascent  of  their 
prayers  to  Those  Above  — dancing,  praying,  and  singing. 
Dancing  always  attracted  the  attention  of  the  gods,  and, 
having  their  interest  thus  aroused,  they  could  not  fail  to 
pay  heed  to  the  petitions  presented  to  them. 

As  a specimen  of  the  beliefs  of  the  old  aborigines,  here 
is  part  of  a story  once  told  to  me  by  an  aged  Saboba 
Indian.  After  describing  the  coming  of  his  people  to 
Southern  California,  from  some  far-away  land  over  the 


INDIANS  AT  THE  COMING  OF  THE  PADRES  69 


sea,  and  the  varied  adventures  of  these  heroes,  he 
continued : 

“ But  when  Siwash,  the  god  of  earth,  looked  around  and  saw 
everything  revealed  by  the  sun,  he  was  displeased ; for  the 
earth  was  bare,  level,  and  monotonous,  and  there  was  nothing  to 
cheer  the  sight.  Who  could  love  a world  that  was  all  one  limit- 
less plain,  with  no  mountains,  no  trees,  hills,  rocks,  rivers,  water- 
falls, creeks,  animals,  reptiles,  no  birds,  nor  flowers  ? There 
were  many  of  our  people  that  were  of  no  use.  So  Siwash  took 
these,  and  of  some  he  made  high  mountains,  of  some,  smaller 
mountains ; of  others  he  made  rivers,  creeks,  lakes,  and  water- 
falls ; of  still  others  coyotes,  foxes,  deer,  antelope,  bear,  squirrels, 
porcupines,  and  all  the  other  animals.  Then  he  made  out  of 
other  people  all  the  different  kinds  of  snakes,  insects,  birds,  and 
fishes.  Then  he  wanted  trees,  plants,  and  flowers,  and  so  he 
turned  some  of  the  people  into  these.  Of  every  man  or  woman 
that  he  seized,  he  made  something  according  to  the  person’s 
value. 

“ When  he  finished  his  work,  he  had  made  a beautiful  country  of 
this,  and  there  were  many  things  that  my  people  had  never  seen 
before.  But  he  had  used  up  so  many  men  and  women  that  he 
was  frightened.  So  he  made  a new  lot  of  people,  some  to  live 
here,  there,  aud  anywhere.  And  he  gave  to  each  family  its  own 
language  and  tongue,  and  its  own  place  to  live,  and  he  told  them 
all  the  sad  distress  that  would  come  upon  them  if  they  mingled 
their  tongues  by  intermarriage.  Each  family  was  to  live  in  its 
own  place,  and  while  all  the  different  families  were  to  be  friends, 
one  to  the  other,  and  live  as  brothers  bound  together  by  kinship 
and  concord,  there  was  to  be  no  mixing  of  bloods. 

“ Thus  were  settled  the  original  inhabitants  on  the  coast  of 
Southern  California  by  Siwash,  the  god  of  the  earth,  under  the 
leadership  of  Uuyot.” 

These  Indians  were  polygamists,  as  a matter  of  course, 
but  much  of  what  the  missionaries  and  others  have  called 
their  obscenities  and  vile  conversations  were  the  simple 
and  unconscious  utterances  of  men  and  women  whose  in- 
stincts were  not  perverted.  It  is  the  invariable  testimony 
of  all  careful  observers  of  every  class  that  as  a rule  the 


70  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


aborigines  were  healthy,  vigorous,  virile,  and  chaste,  until 
they  became  demoralized  by  the  whites.  With  many  of 
them  certain  ceremonies  had  a distinct  flavor  of  sex  wor- 
ship: a rude  phallicism  which  exists  to  the  present  day. 
To  the  priests,  as  to  most  modern  observers,  these  rites 
were  offensive  and  obscene,  but  to  the  Indians  they  were 
only  the  natural  and  simple  prayers  for  the  fruitfulness 
of  their  wives  and  of  the  other  producing  forces. 

J.  S.  Hittell  says  of  the  Indians  of  California: 

“ They  had  no  religion,  no  conception  of  a deity,  or  of  a future 
life,  no  idols,  no  form  of  worship,  no  priests,  no  philosophical 
conceptions,  no  historical  traditions,  no  proverbs,  no  mode  of 
recording  thought  before  the  coming  of  the  missionaries  among 
them.” 

Seldom  has  there  been  so  much  absolute  misstatement  as 
in  this  quotation.  Jeremiah  Curtin,  the  translator  of 
Sienkiewicz  and  a life-long  student  of  the  Indian,  speaking 
of  the  same  Indians,  makes  a remark  which  applies  with 
force  to  these  first  three  statements: 

“ The  Indian,  at  every  step , stood  face  to  face  with  divinity  as 
he  knew  or  understood  it.  He  could  never  escape  from  the 
presence  of  those  powers  who  had  made  the  first  world.  . . . 
The  most  important  question  of  all  in  Indian  life  was  communi- 
cation with  divinity,  intercourse  with  the  spirits  of  divine  per- 
sonages.” 

In  his  “ Creation  Myths  of  Primitive  America,”  this 
studious  author  gives  the  names  of  a number  of  divinities, 
and  the  legends  connected  with  them.  He  affirms  positively 
that  “ the  most  striking  thing  in  all  savage  belief  is  the 
low  estimate  put  upon  man,  when  unaided  by  divine,  un- 
created power.  In  Indian  belief  every  object  in  the  universe 
is  divine  except  man ! ” + 

As  to  their  having  no  priests,  no  forms  of  worship,  no 
philosophical  conceptions,  no  historical  traditions,  no  prov- 
erbs, any  one  interested  in  the  Indian  of  to-day  knows 


INDIANS  AT  THE  COMING  OF  THE  PADRES  71 


that  these  things  are  untrue.  Whence  came  all  the  myths 
and  legends  that  recent  writers  have  gathered,  a score  of 
which  I myself  hold  still  unpublished  in  my  note-book? 
Were  they  all  imagined  after  the  arrival  of  the  Mission 
F athers  ? By  no  means ! They  have  been  handed  down 
for  countless  centuries,  and  they  come  to  us,  perhaps  a 
little  corrupted,  but  still  just  as  accurate  as  do  the  songs 
of  Homer. 

Every  tribe  had  its  medicine  men,  who  were  developed 
by  a most  rigorous  series  of  tests ; such  as  would  dismay 
many  a white  man.  As  to  their  philosophical  conceptions 
and  traditions,  Curtin  well  says  that  in  them  44  we  have 
a monument  of  thought  which  is  absolutely  unequalled, 
altogether  unique  in  human  experience.  The  special  value 
of  this  thought  lies,  moreover,  in  the  fact  that  it  is  prim- 
itive; that  it  is  the  thought  of  ages  long  anterior  to  those 
which  we  find  recorded  in  the  eastern  hemisphere,  either  in 
sacred  books,  in  histories,  or  in  literature,  whether  pre- 
served on  baked  brick,  burnt  cylinders,  or  papyrus.” 

And  if  we  go  to  the  Pueblo  Indians,  the  Navahoes,  the 
Pimas,  and  others,  all  of  whom  were  brought  more  or  less 
under  the  influence  of  the  Franciscans,  we  find  a mass  of 
beliefs,  deities,  traditions,  conceptions,  and  proverbs,  which 
would  overpower  Mr.  Hittell  merely  to  collate. 

Therefore,  let  it  be  distinctly  understood  that  the  In- 
dian was  not  the  thoughtless,  unimaginative,  irreligious, 
brutal  savage  which  he  is  too  often  represented  to  be. 
He  thought,  and  thought  well,  but  still  originally.  He 
was  religious,  profoundly  and  powerfully  so,  but  in  his 
own  way;  he  was  a philosopher,  but  not  according  to 
Hittell;  he  was  a worshipper,  but  not  after  the  method 
of  Serra,  Palou,  and  their  priestly  coadjutors. 


72  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  INDIANS  UNDER  THE  PADRES 

THE  first  consideration  of  the  padres  in  dealing 
with  the  Indians  was  the  salvation  of  their  souls. 
Of  this  no  honest  and  honorable  man  can  hold 
any  question.  Serra  and  his  coadjutors  believed,  without 
equivocation  or  reserve,  the  doctrines  of  the  Church.  As 
one  reads  Serra’s  diary,  his  thought  on  this  matter  is  trans- 
parent. In  one  place  he  thus  naively  writes : “ It  seemed 
to  me  that  they  (the  Indians)  would  fall  shortly  into  the 
apostolic  and  evangelic  net.” 

This  accomplished,  the  Indians  must  be  kept  Christians, 
educated  and  civilized.  Here  is  the  crucial  point.  In 
reading  criticisms  upon  the  Mission  system  of  dealing 
with  the  Indians  one  constantly  meets  with  such  passages 
as  the  following:  “ The  fatal  defect  of  this  whole  Spanish 
system  was  that  no  effort  was  made  to  educate  the  Indians, 
or  teach  them  to  read,  and  think,  and  act  for  themselves.” 

To  me  this  kind  of  criticism  is  both  unjust  and  puerile. 
What  is  education?  What  is  civilization? 

All  civilization  is  comparative;  all  happiness  relative. 
The  highest  civilization,  and,  therefore,  the  most  laudable 
object  of  ambition  to  one,  is  a burden  and  weariness  of  the 
flesh  to  another.  And  no  thinker  will  deny  that  it  is  an 
exceedingly  difficult  matter  for  the  objects  of  one  kind  of 
civilization  to  look  with  any  but  superior,  haughty,  and 
critical  eyes  upon  the  objects  of  every  other  civilization.  It 
is  only  since  the  Congress  of  Religions  in  Chicago  that  the 
Western  world  has  learned  to  look  with  rational  eyes,  and 
a little  more  tolerance,  upon  the  civilization,  thought,  and 


THE  INDIANS  UNDER  THE  PADRES  73 


religious  life  of  the  Orient.  Hence,  in  dealing  with  this 
question  of  the  condition  of  the  Indians  under  the  padres, 
we  are  met  with  widely  differing  opinions  and  standards. 
Without  discussing  the  religious  question  — for  all  ex- 
perience demonstrates  that  no  reasoning  or  argument  will 
remove  sectarian  prejudices  — let  us  consider  the  matter 
of  the  education  of  the  Indians.  What  is  education? 
The  teaching  of  the  “three  r’s  ” and  of  various  ologies? 
God- forbid!  There  are  more  foolish  things  done  to-day 
in  the  enlightened  and  civilized  United  States  of  America 
under  the  name  of  44  education  ” than  the  Catholic  mis- 
sionaries in  all  the  centuries  have  ever  done.  My  defini- 
tion of  education  is  a common-sense  one,  according  to  my 
view  of  life.  To  educate  is  to  educere  — draw  out  — the 
recognition  of  what  one  should  do  and  be  in  order  to 
make  the  best  of  his  life.  Religious  education,  among 
other  things,  should  give  the  inspiration  of  the  will,  the 
resolution  to  do  what  one  sees  is  best. 

According  to  these  definitions  and  the  light  and  ex- 
perience they  possessed,  the  padres  went  to  work.  They 
surveyed  the  ground  to  be  covered,  and  made  as  good  a 
study  of  the  Indian  as  conditions  permitted.  Then  they 
began  at  the  bottom.  They  first  taught  the  Indian  how 
to  live ; how  to  wear  clothes ; how  to  deserve  eating  and 
clothing  by  working;  and  better  still,  how  to  raise  and 
manufacture  what  they  needed.  Certainly  this  was  good, 
viewed  from  any  standpoint,  and,  anyhow,  we  have  not 
improved  upon  it,  for  it  is  just  what  our  government  with 
all  its  boasted  advancement  is  now  doing  for  them.  But 
along  with  this  the  padres  taught  ( what  was  really  their 
prime  business ),  in  accordance  with  their  own  belief,  the 
most  necessary  lessons  of  all,  namely  (and  here  I quote  one 
of  them),  44  the  knowledge  of  whence  they  came,  whither 
they  were  finally  going,  and  what  was  most  essential  to 
attain  that  end  fixed  by  the  Creator  Himself.”  On  this 
portion  of  their  work  the  padres  knew,  as  we  know,  the 


74  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


futility  of  expecting  to  find  unanimity  of  opinion  amongst 
people  who  have  ten  thousand  different  shades  of  theo- 
logical and  untheological  belief.  Now,  to  quote  from  a 
modern  Franciscan  missionary’s  recent  letter  to  me:  44  The 
fathers  soon  discovered  that  so  much  was  all  the  Indians 
could  grasp,  and  all  for  which  they  could  be  led  to  take 
an  interest,  just  like  unreasoning  children  who  live  but 
for  the  present  day.  This  was  true  education,  which  gave 
the  word  its  proper  meaning.  It  was  the  only  education 
the  Indians  were  capable  of  comprehending,  and  the  only 
kind  the  same  Indians  are  capable  of  grasping  even  now, 
as  Uncle  Sam  has  discovered  at  last.  Book  learning,  ex- 
cept the  rudimentary,  is  not  for  the  Indians  (the  major 
portion  of  them)  even  at  this  date ; and  the  United  States 
government  is  going  back  to  the  methods  of  the  old  Cath- 
olic missionaries  in  their  essential  points.  The  fact  is, 
this  kind  of  education  is  the  most  suitable  for  the  gener- 
ality of  the  white  people.  It  would  make  them  contented 
and  happ}',  whereas  now  they  are  being  4 educated  ’ to  an 
unfitness  for  performing  the  ordinary  duties  of  a simple 
life. 

44  Nevertheless,  the  padres,  despite  the  drawbacks  of 
having  no  suitable  teachers,  no  suitable  books,  no  suitable 
material,  such  as  are  plentiful  now,  taught  any  of  the 
Indian  boys,  that  showed  any  inclination,  how  to  read  and 
write  and  figure,  and  many  other  useful  things.” 

I believe  this  to  be,  from  all  the  study  I have  given 
the  subject,  a true  statement  of  the  facts.  Hence  I regard 
the  education  given  by  the  padres  as  eminently  practical, 
even  though  I materially  differ  from  them  as  to  some  of 
the  things  they  regarded  as  religious  essentials.  Yet  in 
honor  it  must  be  said  that  if  I,  or  the  church  to  which  I 
belong,  or  you  and  the  church  to  which  you  belong,  reader, 
had  been  in  California  in  those  early  days,  your  religious 
teaching  or  mine  would  have  been  entitled,  justly,  to  as 
much  criticism  and  censure  as  have  ever  been  visited  upon 


Plate  XV 


SQUARE  BRICKED  DOORWAY,  SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


THE  INDIANS  UNDER  THE  PADRES  75 


that  of  the  padres.  They  did  the  best  they  knew,  and, 
as  I shall  soon  show,  they  did  wonderfully  well,  far  better 
than  the  enlightened  government  to  which  we  belong  has 
ever  done.  Certain  essentials  stood  out  before  them. 
These  were,  to  see  that  the  Indians  were  baptized,  taught 
the  ritual  of  the  Church,  lived  as  near  as  possible  accord- 
ing to  the  rules  laid  down  for  them,  attended  the  services 
regularly,  did  their  proper  quota  of  work,  were  faithful 
husbands  and  wives  and  dutiful  children.  Feeling  that 
they  were  indeed  fathers  of  a race  of  children,  the  priests 
required  obedience  and  work,  as  the  father  of  any  well- 
regulated  American  household  does.  And  as  a rule  these 
“ children,”  though  occasionally  rebellious,  were  willingly 
obedient. 

Under  this  regime  it  is  unquestionably  true  that  the 
lot  of  the  Indians  was  immeasurably  improved  from  that 
of  their  aboriginal  condition.  They  were  kept  in  a state 
of  reasonable  cleanliness,  were  well  clothed,  were  taught 
and  required  to  do  useful  work,  learned  many  new  and 
helpful  arts,  and  were  instructed  in  the  elemental  matters 
of  the  Catholic  faith.  All  these  things  were  a direct 
advance. 

It  should  not  be  overlooked,  however,  that  the  Spanish 
government  provided  skilled  laborers  from  Spain  or  Mex- 
ico, and  paid  their  hire,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  the 
settlers  in  the  various  pueblos  that  were  established. 
Master  mechanics,  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  and  stone 
masons  are  mentioned  in  Governor  Neve’s  Rules  and  Reg- 
ulations, and,  as  I show  elsewhere,  some  of  the  Indians  were 
taught  by  these  skilled  artisans.  Under  the  guidance  of 
the  padres  some  of  them  were  taught  how  to  weave. 
Cotton  was  both  grown  and  imported,  and  all  the  pro- 
cesses of  converting  it,  and  wool  also,  into  cloth  were  under- 
taken with  skill  and  knowledge. 

At  San  Juan  Capistrano  the  swing  and  thud  of  the 
loom  were  constantly  heard,  there  having  been  at  one  time 


76  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


as  many  as  forty  weavers  all  engaged  at  once  in  this 
useful  occupation. 

San  Gabriel  and  San  Luis  Rey  also  had  many  expert 
weavers. 

Many  women  also  became  tailors  and  dressmakers.  At 
San  Gabriel,  under  the  administration  of  Padres  Zalvidea 
and  Sanchez,  there  were  four  thousand  Indians,  all  of 
whom  were  clothed  by  the  work  of  Indian  women.  Eula- 
lia Perez  de  Guillen,  the  first  owner  of  the  Rancho  San 
Pasqual  (the  site  of  the  modern  Pasadena),  taught  the 
spinning,  weaving,  and  tailoring.  She  herself  cut  out 
all  the  dresses  and  clothes,  and  then  had  general  oversight 
of  the  work. 

It  is  interesting  to  look  back  and  note  that  perhaps 
the  very  first  manual  training  attempted  in  California 
was  given  by  convicts.  Governor  Fages  proposed  to  the 
authorities  that  artisans  imprisoned  in  Mexico  and  Guada- 
lajara should  have  their  sentences  changed  to  exile  to 
California  on  condition  that  they  worked  at  the  presidios, 
and  on  the  expiration  of  their  terms  remained  in  the 
country  as  settlers.  There  is  record  of  three  such  men 
being  sent  in  1791,  and  in  that  same  year  are  references 
to  a convict  blacksmith  teaching  his  trade  to  the  Indians 
in  San  Francisco. 

In  the  last  decade  of  the  century  a decided  and  success- 
ful effort  was  made  to  promote  manufactures.  Skilled 
artisans  were  sent  from  Mexico  under  government  pay 
to  teach  various  trades  to  the  neophytes.  Between  1792 
and  1795  about  twenty  of  these  46  manual-training 99 
teachers  — themselves  skilled  artisans,  came  to  California. 
Here,  then,  was  the  beginning  of  technical  schools  in  Cali- 
fornia. The  artisans  were  distributed  among  the  presi- 
dios and  Missions,  and  some  of  them  travelled  to  and  fro 
as  occasion  required.  In  1793-4  several  San  Carlos  In- 
dians received  expert  instruction  in  stone-cutting,  brick- 
laying, etc.  After  1795  the  padres  no  longer  had  the 


Plate  XYI 


STONE  ARCHED  DOORWAY,  SANTA  MARGARITA  CHAPEL 


THE  INDIANS  UNDER  THE  PADRES  77 


services  of  the  artisans  free.  They  had  to  pay  the  mili- 
tary officers  for  all  work  done,  and  if  they  retained  the 
services  of  the  artisans  for  teaching  the  Indians  they  were 
required  to  pay  their  salaries.  On  the  other  hand,  if  they 
saw  fit  to  send  the  Indians  to  the  presidios  they  were 
educated  there  free  of  charge.  But  as  this  removed  them 
from  the  moral  control  of  the  padres  it  was  avoided  as 
much  as  possible.  By  1800  this  plan  of  education  had 
produced  many  good  workmen,  and  the  padres  felt  that 
they  were  now  far  better  able  to  get  along  than  they  had 
been  hitherto.  Looms  were  set  up  at  many  of  the  Mis- 
sions, and  the  wool  sheared  from  the  Mission  sheep  turned 
into  blankets  and  fabrics  for  their  own  clothing.  In  fact, 
after  1797  no  more  blankets  were  brought  from  Mexico. 
A little  cotton  was  brought  up  from  San  Bias,  and  this 
the  Indians  wove  into  cloth. 

There  is  no  definite  record  as  to  when  grapes,  oranges, 
and  other  fruits  were  brought  into  California,  but  it  is 
possible  they  were  all  brought  up  by  way  of  the  peninsula 
in  the  earliest  of  the  expeditions  (between  1769  and  1773), 
as  nearly  all  the  varieties  were  in  flourishing  condition 
before  Padre  Serra’s  death  in  1786.  Wine  was  manu- 
factured in  several  of  the  southern  Missions  before  1785. 

In  1795  a special  attempt  was  made  at  San  Jose  to  in- 
troduce the  cultivation  of  flax  and  hemp.  After  over- 
coming the  first  difficulties,  samples  were  later  sent  to 
Mexico  which  gave  satisfaction,  and  in  1800  it  was  deemed 
promising  enough  to  send  Joaquin  Sanchez  to  superintend 
the  industry  in  California. 

At  all  the  Missions  the  girls  and  women,  as  well  as  the 
men,  had  their  share  in  the  general  education.  They  had 
always  been  seed  gatherers,  grinders,  and  preparers  of 
the  food,  and  now  they  were  taught  the  civilized  methods 
of  doing  these  things.  Many  became  tailors  as  well  as 
weavers ; others  learned  to  dye  the  made  f abrics,  as  in  the 
past  they  had  dyed  their  basketry  splints ; and  still  others 


78  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


— indeed  nearly  all  — became  skilled  in  the  delicate  arts 
of  lace-making  and  drawn-work.  They  were  natural 
adepts  at  fine  embroidery,  as  soon  as  the  use  of  the  needle 
and  colored  threads  was  shown  them,  and  some  exquisite 
work  is  still  preserved  that  they  accomplished  in  this  field. 
As  candy-makers  they  soon  became  experts  and  manifested 
judicious  taste. 

To  return  to  the  men.  Many  of  them  became  cattle, 
horse,  and  sheep  herders,  teamsters,  and  butchers.  At 
San  Gabriel  alone  a hundred  cattle  were  slaughtered  every 
Saturday  as  food  for  the  Indians.  The  hides  of  all  slain 
animals  were  carefully  preserved,  and  either  tanned  for 
home  use  or  shipped  East.  Dana  in  “ Two  Years  Before 
the  Mast  ” gives  interesting  pictures  of  hide-shipping  at 
San  Juan  Capistrano.  A good  tanner  is  a skilled  laborer, 
and  these  Indians  were  not  only  expert  makers  of  dressed 
leather,  but  they  tanned  skins  and  peltries  with  the  "hair 
or  fur  on.  Indeed  I know  of  many  wonderful  birds’-skins, 
dressed  with  the  feathers  on,  that  are  still  in  perfect  pres- 
ervation. As  workers  in  leather  they  have  never  been 
surpassed.  Many  saddles,  bridles,  etc.,  were  needed  for 
Mission  use,  and  as  the  ranches  grew  in  numbers  they 
created  a large  market.  It  must  be  remembered  that 
horseback-riding  was  the  chief  method  of  travel  in  Cali- 
fornia for  over  a hundred  years.  Their  carved-leather 
work  is  still  the  wonder  of  the  world.  In  the  striking 
character  of  their  designs,  in  the  remarkable  adaptation 
of  the  design,  in  its  general  shape  and  contour,  to  the 
peculiar  form  of  the  object  to  be  decorated,  — a stirrup, 
a saddle,  a belt,  etc.,  — and  in  the  digital  and  manual 
dexterity  demanded  by  its  execution  it  left  nothing  to  be 
desired.  Equally  skilful  were  they  in  taking  the  horn  of 
an  ox  or  mountain  sheep,  heating  it,  and  then  shaping  it 
into  a drinking-cup,  a spoon,  or  a ladle,  and  carving  upon 
it  designs  that  equal  those  found  upon  the  pottery  of  the 
ancient  world. 


Plate  XVII 


b.  BASKET-MAKERS  AT  WORK  AT  PALATINGWA 


u STREET  AT  PALATINGWA  (HOT  SPRINGS),  WARNER’S  RANCH 


THE  INDIANS  UNDER  THE  PADRES  79 


Shoemaking  was  extensively  carried  on,  for  sale  on  the 
ranches  and  to  the  trading-vessels.  Tallow  was  tried  out 
by  the  ton  and  run  into  underground  brick  vaults,  some  of 
which  would  hold  in  one  mass  several  complete  ship-loads. 
This  was  quarried  out  and  then  hauled  to  San  Pedro,  or 
the  nearest  port,  for  shipment.  Sometimes  it  was  run  into 
great  bags  made  of  hides,  that  would  hold  from  five  hun- 
dred to  a thousand  pounds  each,  and  then  shipped. 

A large  amount  of  meat  was  cut  into  strips  and  jerked, 
or  sun-dried,  either  with  or  without  salt,  — for  home  use, 
to  sell,  and  to  trade.  The  Indians  taught  this  art  to  the 
padres,  and  it  is  common  among  the  Mexicans  to  this  day. 
A writer  of  November,  1818,  says  he  remembers  his  mother 
travelling  in  a carreta  44  which  had  two  hides  for  a floor 
and  two  more  for  a roof,  where,  after  supping  on  half- 
roasted  strips  of  dried  meat  without  salt,  she  gathered 
around  her  the  whole  family.” 

Up  to  1814  all  the  meal  used  in  California  was  ground 
by  the  women  by  their  old-fashioned  methods  of  metate 
and  meal-stone,  but  in  that  year  Padre  Zalvidea  built  the 
first  water-power  grist-mill  in  the  State.  The  next  was 
erected  in  1839  in  San  Francisco.  At  San  Gabriel  the 
Indians  became  the  millers,  making  a coarse,  unbolted  meal 
of  wheat,  corn,  or  barley.  Then  it  was  carried  to  the 
storerooms  where  the  women  put  it  through  a simple  process 
of  sifting. 

Soap  was  also  made  on  a large  scale,  the  ashes  from  the 
brick  and  tile  works,  the  bake-ovens,  and  tallow-furnaces, 
being  used  to  leach  lye  for  the  soap.  At  San  Antonio,  old, 
rusty,  and  discarded,  is  an  old  soap-kettle  that  was  once 
capable  of  holding  many  gallons. 

A large  number  of  old-fashioned  tallow-dip  candles  were 
made  for  home  use,  and  for  sale  to  the  ranches  and  vessels. 

An  amount  of  lumbering  was  carried  on  that,  for  those 
days,  was  large.  The  Indians  cut  down  the  trees,  trimmed 
them,  and  brought  the  logs  to  where  they  were  required. 


80  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


They  then  hewed  or  split  them  with  axes,  or  sawed  them  by 
hand.  Santa  Anita  Canyon,  near  Pasadena,  is  still,  by  the 
old  people,  called  Saw-pit  Canyon,  for  in  the  early  days 
a saw-pit  was  established  there;  and  Hugo  Reid  tells  us 
that  every  old  Indian  who  was  accused  of  witchcraft  was 
made  a sawyer.  These  unfortunates  were  chained  in  couples 
and  compelled  to  work,  two  on  the  saw  above  and  two  below. 
In  1810  or  1812,  however,  a water-power  saw-mill  was  set 
in  operation  by  Padre  Zalvidea  at  San  Gabriel,  and  soon 
the  Indians  did  all  the  work  there.  Lumber  was  sawed  for 
buildings,  fences,  carts,  wine-vats,  cooperage,  candle  and 
soap  boxes,  etc. 

Many  of  them  became  expert  carpenters,  and  a few  even 
might  be  classed  as  fair  cabinet-makers,  as  the  chapter  on 
woodwork  will  show.  There  were  wheelwrights  and  cart- 
makers  who  made  the  “ carretas  ” that  are  now  the  joy  of 
the  relic-hunter.  These  were  clumsy  ox-carts,  with  wheels 
made  of  blocks,  sawed  or  chopped  off  from  the  end  of  a 
large  round  log,  and  then  a big  hole  bored,  chiselled,  or 
burned  through  its  centre,  enabling  it  to  turn  on  a rude 
wooden  axle.  Soap  or  tallow  was  sometimes  used  as  a 
lubricant.  This  was  the  only  wheeled  conveyance  in  Cali- 
fornia as  late  as  1840.  Other  Indians  did  the  woodwork 
in  buildings,  made  fences,  etc.  Some  were  carvers,  and 
there  are  not  a few  specimens  of  their  work  that  will  bear 
comparison  with  the  work  of  far  more  pretentious  artisans. 

Many  of  them  became  blacksmiths  and  learned  to  work 
well  in  iron.  In  the  Coronel  Collection  in  the  Los  Angeles 
Chamber  of  Commerce  are  many  specimens  of  the  ironwork 
of  the  San  Fernando  neophytes.  The  work  of  this  Mission 
was  long  and  favorably  known  as  that  of  superior  artisans. 
The  collection  includes  plough-points,  anvils,  bells,  hoes, 
chains,  locks  and  keys,  spurs,  hinges,  scissors,  cattle- 
brands,  and  other  articles  of  use  in  the  Mission  communi- 
ties. There  are  also  fine  specimens  of  hammered  copper, 
showing  their  ability  in  this  branch  of  the  craftsman’s  art. 


THE  INDIANS  UNDER  THE  PADRES  81 


As  there  was  no  coal  at  this  time  in  California,  these  metal- 
workers all  became  charcoal-burners. 

Bricks  of  adobe  and  also  burnt  bricks  and  tiles  were 
made  at  every  Mission,  I believe,  and  in  later  years  tiles 
were  made  for  sale  for  the  houses  of  the  more  pretentious 
inhabitants  of  the  pueblos.  As  lime  and  cement  were 
needed,  the  Indians  were  taught  how  to  burn  the  lime  of 
the  country,  and  the  cement  work  then  done  remains  to  this 
day  as  solid  as  when  it  was  first  put  down. 

Many  of  them  became  expert  bricklayers  and  stone- 
masons and  cutters,  as  such  work  as  that  found  at  San 
Luis  Rey,  San  Juan  Capistrano,  San  Carlos,  Santa  Ines, 
and  other  Missions  most  eloquently  testifies. 

It  is  claimed  that  much  of  the  distemper  painting  upon 
the  church  walls  was  done  by  the  Indians,  though  surely 
it  would  be  far  easier  to  believe  that  the  Fathers  did  it 
than  they.  For  with  their  training  in  natural  design,  as 
shown  in  their  exquisite  baskets,  and  the  work  they  accom- 
plished in  leather  carving,  I do  not  hesitate  to  say  that 
the  mural  decorations  would  have  been  far  more  artistic 
in  design,  more  harmonious  in  color,  and  more  skilfully 
executed  if  the  Indians  had  been  left  to  their  own  native 
ability. 

A few  became  silversmiths,  though  none  ever  accom- 
plished much  in  this  line.  They  made  better  sandal-makers, 
shoemakers,  and  hatters.  As  horse-trainers  they  were 
speedily  most  efficient,  the  cunning  of  their  minds  finding 
a natural  outlet  in  gaining  supremacy  over  the  lower  ani- 
mal. They  braided  their  own  riatas  from  rawhide,  and 
soon  surpassed  their  teachers  in  the  use  of  them.  They 
were  fearless  hunters  with  them,  often  44  roping  ” the  moun- 
tain lion  and  even  going  so  far  as  to  capture  the  dangerous 
grizzly  bears  and  bring  them  down  from  the  mountains 
for  their  bear  and  bull  fights  with  no  other  44  weapon.”  As 
vaqueros,  or  cow-boys,  they  were  a distinct  class.  As  dar- 
ing riders  as  the  world  has  ever  seen,  they  instinctively 

6 


82  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


knew  the  arts  of  herding  cattle  and  sheep,  and  soon  had 
that  whole  field  of  work  in  their  keeping.  “ H.  H.,”  in 
Ramona , has  told  what  skilled  sheep-shearers  they  were, 
and  there  are  Indian  bands  to-day  in  Southern  California 
whose  services  are  eagerly  sought  at  good  wages  because 
of  their  thoroughness,  skill,  and  rapidity. 

Now,  with  this  list  of  achievements,  who  shall  say  they 
were  not  educated?  Something  more  than  lack  of  educa- 
tion must  be  looked  for  as  the  reason  for  the  degradation 
and  disappearance  of  the  Indian,  and  in  the  next  chapter 
I think  I can  supply  that  missing  reason. 

At  the  end  of  sixty  years,  more  than  thirty  thousand 
Indian  converts  lodged  in  the  Mission  buildings,  under  the 
direct  and  immediate  guidance  of  the  Fathers,  performing 
their  allotted  daily  labors  with  cheerfulness  and  thorough- 
ness. There  were  some  exceptions  necessarily,  but  in  the 
main  the  domination  of  the  missionaries  was  complete.  In 
the  years  1803-1807  G.  H.  von  Langsdorff,  Aulic  Coun- 
cillor to  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  journeyed  around  the 
world  with  Captain  Krusenstern,  the  first  Russian  circum- 
navigator. He  visited  the  San  Francisco  and  Santa  Clara 
Missions  in  March,  1806,  and  says : “ The  monks  conduct 
themselves  in  general  with  so  much  prudence,  kindness,  and 
paternal  care  toward  their  converts,  that  peace,  happi- 
ness, and  obedience  universally  prevail  among  them.  . . . 
There  are  seldom  more  than  from  three  to  five  soldiers, 
at  a time,  at  any  Mission,  but  this  small  number  always 
has  been  found  sufficient  to  keep  the  Indians  under  proper 
restraint.” 

Occasionally  the  priests  went  out  in  search  of  converts ; 
over  their  breasts  and  shoulders  then  they  wore  a short 
leathern  mantle  made  of  deer-skin.  This  was  to  protect 
them  against  the  arrows  of  hostile  Indians,  for  “ by  a 
royal  command,  the  ecclesiastics  must  not  carry  about  them 
any  other  weapons  than  the  Bible  and  the  Cross.” 

Of  the  girls  and  widows,  the  same  traveller  says: 


THE  INDIANS  UNDER  THE  PADRES  8a 


" They  live  in  separate  houses,  and  are  kept  at  work  under 
lock  and  key ; they  are  only  sometimes  permitted  by  their 
superiors  to  go  out  during  the  day,  but  never  at  night.  As 
soon,  however,  as  a girl  is  married,  she  is  free,  and  lives  with 
her  husband  in  one  of  the  villages  of  the  Indians,  called 
ranchenas , which  belong  to  the  Mission.  By  such  institutions, 
the  ecclesiastics  hope  to  bind  their  converts  more  closely  to 
the  establishment  and  to  spread  their  religion  more  securely 
and  extensively.  . . . The  number  of  converted  Indians  at  this 
Mission  is  about  twelve  hundred.” 

It  has  often  been  asked,  44  What  became  of  all  the  pro- 
ceeds of  the  work  of  the  Mission  Indians  ? Did  the  padres 
claim  it  personally?  Was  it  sent  to  the  mother  house  in 
Mexico?”  etc.  These  questions  naturally  enter  the  minds 
of  those  who  have  read  the  criticisms  of  such  writers  as 
Wilson,  Guinn,  and  Scanland.  In  regard  to  the  mission- 
aries, they  were  under  a vow  of  poverty.  As  to  the  mother 
house,  it  is  asserted  on  honor  that  up  to  1838  not  even  as 
much  as  a curio  had  been  sent  there.  After  that,  as  is  well 
known,  there  was  nothing  to  send.  The  fact  is,  the  pro- 
ceeds all  went  into  the  Indian  Community  fund  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Indians,  or  the  improvement  of  their  Mission 
church,  gardens,  or  workshops.  The  most  careful  investi- 
gations by  experts  have  led  but  to  one  opinion,  and  that  is 
that  in  the  early  days  there  was  little  or  no  foundation 
for  the  charge  that  the  padres  were  accumulating  money. 
During  the  revolution  it  is  well  known  that  the  Missions 
practically  supported  the  military  for  a number  of  years, 
even  though  the  padres,  their  wards,  and  their  churches  all 
suffered  in  consequence. 


84  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  SECULARIZATION  OF  THE  MISSIONS 

IT  was  not  the  policy  or  intention  of  the  government 
of  Spain  to  found  Missions  in  the  New  World  solely 
for  the  benefit  of  the  natives.  Philanthropic  motives 
doubtless  influenced  the  rulers  to  a certain  degree;  but  to 
civilize  barbarous  peoples  and  convert  them  to  the  Catholic 
faith  meant  not  only  the  rescue  of  savages  from  future 
perdition,  but  the  enlargement  of  the  borders  of  the  Church, 
the  preparation  for  future  colonization,  and,  consequently, 
the  extension  of  Spanish  power  and  territory. 

At  the  very  inception  of  the  Missions  this  was  the  com- 
plex end  in  view ; but  the  padres  who  were  commissioned  to 
initiate  these  enterprises  were  almost,  without  exception, 
consecrated  to  one  work  only,  — the  salvation  of  souls. 

In  the  course  of  time  this  inevitably  led  to  differences 
of  opinion  between  the  missionaries  and  the  secular  au- 
thorities in  regard  to  the  wisest  methods  of  procedure.  In 
spite  of  the  arguments  of  the  padres,  these  conflicts  re- 
sulted in  the  secularization  of  some  of  the  Missions  prior  to 
the  founding  of  those  in  California;  but  the  condition  of 
the  Indians  on  the  Pacific  Coast  led  the  padres  to  believe 
that  secularization  was  a result  possible  only  in  a remote 
future.  They  fully  understood  that  the  Missions  were  not 
intended  to  become  permanent  institutions,  yet  faced  the 
problem  of  converting  a savage  race  into  christianized  self- 
supporting  civilians  loyal  to  the  Spanish  Crown,  — a 
problem  which  presented  perplexities  and  difficulties  neither 
understood  nor  appreciated  at  the  time  by  the  government 


SECULARIZATION  OF  THE  MISSIONS  85 


authorities  in  Spain  or  Mexico,  nor  by  the  mass  of  critics 
of  the  padres  in  our  own  day. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  mental  capacity,  ability, 
and  moral  status  of  the  Indians  from  one  point  of  view,  it 
is  certain  that  the  padres  regarded  them  as  ignorant,  vile, 
incapable,  and  totally  lost  without  the  restraining  and  edu- 
cating influences  of  the  Church.  As  year  after  year  opened 
up  the  complexities  of  the  situation,  the  padres  became 
more  and  more  convinced  that  it  would  require  an  indefinite 
period  of  time  to  develop  these  untamed  children  into  law- 
abiding  citizens,  according  to  the  standard  of  the  white 
aggressors  upon  their  territory. 

On  the  other  hand,  aside  from  envy,  jealousy,  and  greed, 
there  were  reasons  why  some  of  the  men  in  authority  hon- 
estly believed  a change  in  the  Mission  system  of  adminis- 
tration would  be  advantageous  to  the  natives,  the  Church, 
and  the  State. 

There  is  a good  as  well  as  an  evil  side  to  the  great  sub- 
ject of  46  secularization.”  In  England  the  word  used  is 
44  disestablishment.”  In  the  United  States,  to-day,  for 
our  own  government,  the  general  sentiment  of  most  of  its 
inhabitants  is  in  favor  of  what  is  meant  by  44  seculariza- 
tion,” though  of  course  in  many  particulars  the  cases  are 
quite  different.  In  other  words,  it  means  the  freedom  of 
the  Church  from  the  control  or  help  of  the  State.  In  such 
an  important  matter  there  is  bound  to  be  great  diversity 
of  opinion.  Naturally,  the  church  that  is  44  disestablished  ” 
will  be  a most  bitter  opponent  of  the  plan,  as  was  the 
church  in  Ireland,  in  Scotland,  and  in  Wales.  In  England 
the  44  dissenters  ” — as  all  the  members  of  the  nonconform- 
ist churches  are  entitled  — are  practically  unanimous  for 
the  disestablishment  of  the  State  or  Episcopal  Church, 
while  the  Episcopalians  believe  that  such  an  act  would 
44  provoke  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  country  wicked 
enough  to  perpetrate  it.”  The  same  conflict  — in  a slightly 
different  field  — is  that  being  waged  in  the  United  States 


86  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


to-day  against  giving  aid  to  any  church  in  its  work  of 
educating  either  white  children  or  Indians  in  its  own  sec- 
tarian institutions.  All  the  leading  churches  of  the  country 
have,  I believe,  at  some  time  or  other  in  their  history,  been 
willing  to  receive,  and  actually  have  received,  government 
aid  in  the  caring  for  and  education  of  Indians.  To-day  it 
is  a generally  accepted  policy  that  no  such  help  shall  be 
given. 

But  the  question  at  issue  is:  Was  the  secularization  of 
the  Missions  by  Mexico  a wise,  just,  and  humane  measure 
at  the  time  of  its  adoption?  Let  the  following  history  tell. 

From  the  founding  of  the  San  Diego  Mission  in  1769, 
until  about  sixty  years  later,  the  padres  were  practically 
in  undisturbed  possession,  administering  affairs  in  accord- 
ance with  the  instructions  issued  by  the  viceroys  and  the 
mother  house  of  Mexico.  There  were  several  endeavors 
by  the  secular  authorities  to  interfere  with  them,  and  this 
book  could  be  filled  with  the  records  of  Serra’s  troubles 
with  Fages  and  Neve,  and  those  of  his  successors.  These 
troubles  largely  sprang  from  jealousy;  and  this  did  not 
decrease  when  the  military  authorities  saw  the  wonderful 
successes  of  the  padres,  not  only  in  controlling  the  neo- 
phytes, but  in  accumulating  property  and  making  it  val- 
uable. On  the  other  hand,  the  padres  felt  they  were  the 
stewards  of  this  property  for  the  Indians,  and  were  de- 
termined to  guard  it  to  the  utmost  of  their  ability.  What 
if  they  did  enlarge  their  churches,  workshops,  fields,  pas- 
tures, gardens,  flocks,  herds,  crops,  output  from  work- 
shops?— were  not  all  these  things  for  the  Indians?  The 
better  the  church  could  be  equipped,  the  better  could  the 
services  for  the  Indians  be  conducted.  The  larger  the  fields, 
the  more  for  the  Indians  when  the  time  came  to  divide  these 
up  amongst  them.  In  the  meantime,  as  they  had  directed 
the  accumulation  of  the  wealth,  they  had  fought  the  battles 
against  ignorance,  sloth,  and  barbarism;  had  taught  the 
Indians  how  to  work  and  live;  what  more  natural  than 


Plate  XVIII 


MAIN  ENTRANCE  ARCII  AT  SAN  DIEGO  MISSION  f>.  DISTRIBUTING  ARCH  OF  ADOBE  AT  SAN  ANTONIO 


SECULARIZATION  OF  THE  MISSIONS  87 


that  they  should  feel  that  none  could  conduct  the  estab- 
lishments — even  their  temporalities  — as  well  as  them- 
selves? And  I for  one  am  not  ready  yet  to  believe  that 
when  any  person  has  built  up  a large  institution  it  is  just 
to  deprive  him  of  its  control  on  the  ground  that  it  is  too 
large  for  him  to  handle.  The  creator  of  an  enterprise 
that  has  taken  many  years  to  develop  prima  facie  is  the 
best  person  to  control  it.  This  was  the  secret  of  the  trouble 
between  Neve  and  Serra.  The  former  wished  to  introduce 
into  the  government  of  the  new  Missions  to  be  established 
during  his  incumbency  the  plan  of  pueblo-Missions  (which 
I shall  fully  describe  in  the  companion  volume  to  this), 
which  had  resulted  so  disastrously  on  the  Colorado  River. 
Serra  objected,  urging  that  “ well  enough  be  left  alone,” 
especially  seeing  the  results  at  Yuma. 

In  1787  Inspector  Sola  claimed  that  the  Indians  were 
then  ready  for  secularization;  and  if  there  be  any  honor 
connected  with  the  plan  eventually  followed,  it  practically 
belongs  to  him.  For,  though  none  of  his  recommendations 
were  accepted,  he  suggested  the  overthrow  of  the  old 
methods  for  others  which  were  somewhat  of  the  same  char- 
acter as  those  carried  out  many  years  later. 

In  1793  Viceroy  Gigedo  referred  to  the  secularization  of 
certain  Missions  which  had  taken  place  in  Mexico,  and  ex- 
pressed his  dissatisfaction  with  the  results.  Three  years 
later,  Governor  Borica,  writing  on  the  same  subject,  ex- 
pressed his  opinion  with  force  and  emphasis,  as  to  the 
length  of  time  it  would  take  to  prepare  the  California  In- 
dians for  citizenship.  He  said:  “Those  of  New  Cali- 
fornia, at  the  rate  they  are  advancing,  will  not  reach  the 
goal  in  ten  centuries ; the  reason  God  knows,  and  men  know 
something  about  it.” 

In  1813  came  the  first  direct  attack  upon  the  Mission 
system  from  the  Cortes  in  Spain.  Prior  to  this  time  a 
bishop  had  been  appointed  to  have  charge  over  church 
affairs  in  California,  but  there  were  too  few  parish 


88  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


churches,  and  he  had  too  few  clergy  to  send  to  such  a far- 
away field  to  think  of  disturbing  the  present  system  for  the 
Indians.  But  on  September  18,  1818,  the  Cortes  passed 
a decree  that  all  the  Missions  in  America  that  had  been 
founded  ten  years  should  at  once  be  given  up  to  the  bishop 
“ without  excuse  or  pretext  whatever,  in  accordance  with 
the  laws.”  The  Mission  fathers  in  charge  might  be  ap- 
pointed as  temporary  curates,  but,  of  course,  under  the 
control  of  the  bishop  instead  of  the  Mission  president  as 
hitherto.  This  decree,  for  some  reason,  was  not  officially 
published  or  known  in  California  for  seven  or  eight  years; 
but  when,  on  January  20,  1821,  Viceroy  Venadito  did  pub- 
lish the  royal  confirmation  of  the  decree,  the  guardian  of 
the  college  in  Mexico  ordered  the  president  of  the  Cali- 
fornia Missions  to  comply  at  once  with  its  requirements. 
He  was  to  surrender  all  property,  but  to  exact  a full  in- 
ventoried receipt,  and  he  was  to  notify  the  bishop  that  the 
missionaries  were  ready  to  surrender  their  charges  to  their 
successors.  In  accordance  with  this  order  President  Pay- 
eras  notified  Governor  Sola  of  his  readiness  to  give  up  the 
Missions,  and  rejoiced  in  the  opportunity  it  afforded  his  co- 
workers to  engage  in  new  spiritual  conquests  among  the 
heathen.  But  this  was  a false  alarm.  The  bishop  re- 
sponded that  the  decree  had  not  been  enforced  elsewhere, 
and  as  for  him  the  California  padres  might  remain  at 
their  posts.  Governor  Sola  said  he  had  received  no  official 
news  of  so  important  a change,  but  that  when  he  did  he 
“ would  act  with  the  circumspection  and  prudence  which 
so  delicate  a subject  demands.” 

With  Iturbide’s  imperial  regency  came  a new  trouble  to 
California,  largely  provoked  by  thoughts  of  the  great 
wealth  of  the  Missions.  The  imperial  decree  creating  the 
regency  was  not  announced  until  the  end  of  1821,  and, 
practically,  all  California  acquiesced  in  it.  But  in  the 
meantime  Agustin  Fernandez  de  San  Vicente  had  been 
sent  as  a special  commissioner  to  “ learn  the  feelings  of  the 


SECULARIZATION  OF  THE  MISSIONS  89 


Californians,  to  foment  a spirit  of  independence,  to  obtain 
an  oath  of  allegiance,  to  raise  the  new  national  flag,”  and 
in  general  to  superintend  the  change  of  government.  He 
arrived  in  Monterey  September  26,  but  found  nothing  to 
alarm  him,  as  nobody  seemed  to  care  much  which  way 
things  went.  Then  followed  the  64  election  ” of  a new  gov- 
ernor, and  the  wire-pullers  announced  that  Luis  Argiiello 
was  the  44  choice  of  the  convention.” 

In  1825  the  Mexican  republic  may  be  said  to  have 
become  fairly  well  established.  Iturbide  was  out  of  the 
way,  and  the  politicians  were  beginning  to  rule.  A new 
44  political  chief  ” was  now  sent  to  California  in  the  person 
of  Jose  Maria  Echeandia,  who  arrived  in  San  Diego  late 
in  October,  1825.  While  he  and  his  superiors  in  Mexico 
were  desirous  of  bringing  about  secularization  the  difficul- 
ties in  the  way  seemed  insurmountable.  The  Missions  were 
practically  the  backbone  of  the  country ; without  them  all 
would  crumble  to  pieces,  and  the  most  fanatical  opponent 
of  the  system  could  not  fail  to  see  that  without  the  padres 
it  would  immediately  fall.  As  Clinch  well  puts  it:  44  The 
converts  raised  seven  eighths  of  the  f arm  produce ; — the 
Missions  had  gathered  two  hundred  thousand  bushels  in  a 
single  harvest.  All  manufacturing  in  the  province  — 
weaving,  tanning,  leather-work,  flour-mills,  soap-making 
— was  carried  on  exclusively  by  the  pupils  of  the  F rancis- 
cans.  It  was  more  than  doubtful  whether  they  could  be 
got  to  work  under  any  other  management,  and  a sudden 
cessation  of  labor  might  ruin  the  whole  territory.” 

Something  must  be  done,  so,  after  consultation  with 
some  of  the  more  advanced  of  the  padres,  the  governor 
issued  a proclamation  July  25,  1826,  announcing  to  the 
Indians  that  those  who  desired  to  leave  the  Missions  might 
do  so,  provided  they  had  been  Christians  from  childhood,  or 
for  fifteen  years,  were  married,  or  at  least  not  minors,  and 
had  some  means  of  gaining  a livelihood.  The  Indians  must 
apply  to  the  commandante  at  the  presidio,  who,  after  ob- 


90  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


taining  from  the  padre  a report,  was  to  issue  a written 
permit  entitling  the  neophyte  and  his  family  to  go  where 
they  chose,  their  names  being  erased  from  the  Mission 
register.  The  result  of  this  might  readily  be  foreseen. 
Few  could  take  advantage  of  it,  and  those  that  did  soon 
came  in  contact  with  vultures  of  the  “ superior  race  ” who 
proceeded  to  devour  them  and  their  substance. 

Let  ween  July  29  and  August  3,  1830,  Echeandia  had 
the  California  diputacion  discuss  his  fuller  plans,  which 
they  finally  approved.  These  provided  for  the  gradual 
transformation  of  the  Missions  into  pueblos,  beginning 
with  those  nearest  the  presidios  and  pueblos,  of  which  one 
or  two  were  to  be  secularized  within  a year,  and  the  rest  as 
rapidly  as  experience  proved  practicable.  Each  neophyte 
was  to  have  a share  in  the  Mission  lands  and  other  prop- 
erty. The  padres  might  remain  as  curates,  or  establish 
a new  line  of  Missions  among  the  hitherto  unreached  In- 
dians as  they  should  choose.  Though  this  plan  was  passed, 
it  was  not  intended  that  it  should  be  carried  out  until 
approved  by  the  general  government  in  Mexico. 

All  this  seems  singular  to  us  now,  reading  three  quarters 
of  a century  later,  for,  March  8,  1830,  Manuel  Victoria 
was  appointed  political  chief  in  Echeandfa’s  stead;  but  as 
he  did  not  reach  San  Diego  until  November  or  December, 
and  in  the  meantime  a new  element  had  been  introduced  into 
the  secularization  question  in  the  person  of  Jose  Maria 
Padres,  Echeandia  resolved  upon  a bold  stroke.  He  delayed 
meeting  Victoria,  lured  him  up  to  Santa  Barbara,  and  kept 
him  there  under  various  pretexts  until  he  had  had  time  to 
prepare  and  issue  a decree.  This  was  dated  January  6, 
1831.  It  was  a political  trick,  66  wholly  illegal,  uncalled 
for,  and  unwise.”  He  decreed  immediate  secularization  of 
all  the  Missions,  and  the  turning  into  towns  of  Carmel  and 
San  Gabriel.  The  ayuntamiento  of  Monterey,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  decree,  chose  a commissioner  for  each  of  the 
seven  Missions  of  the  district.  These  were  Juan  B.  Al- 


SECULARIZATION  OF  THE  MISSIONS  91 


varado  for  San  Luis  Obispo,  Jose  Castro  for  San  Miguel, 
Antonio  Castro  for  San  Antonio,  Tiburcio  Castro  for  Sole- 
dad,  Juan  Higuera  for  San  Juan  Bautista,  Sebastian 
Rodriguez  for  Santa  Cruz,  and  Manuel  Crespo  for  San 
Carlos.  Castro  and  Alvarado  were  sent  to  San  Miguel  and 
San  Luis  Obispo  respectively,  where  they  read  the  decree 
and  made  speeches  to  the  Indians  ; at  San  Miguel  Alvarado 
made  a spread-eagle  speech  from  a cart  and  used  all  his 
eloquence  to  persuade  the  Indians  to  adopt  the  plan  of 
freemen.  “ Henceforth  their  trials  were  to  be  over.  No 
tyrannical  priest  could  compel  them  to  work.  They  were 
to  be  citizens  in  a free  and  glorious  republic,  with  none  to 
molest  or  make  them  afraid.”  Then  he  called  for  those 
who  wished  to  enjoy  these  blessings  of  freedom  to  come 
to  the  right,  while  those  who  were  content  to  remain  under 
the  hideous  bondage  of  the  Missions  could  go  to  the  left. 
Imagine  his  surprise  and  the  chill  his  oratory  received  when 
all  but  a small  handful  quickly  went  to  the  left,  and  those 
who  at  first  went  to  the  right  speedily  joined  the  majority. 
At  San  Luis  and  San  Antonio  the  Indians  also  preferred 
“ slavery.” 

By  this  time  Victoria  began  to  see  that  he  was  being 
played  with,  so  he  hurried  to  Monterey  and  demanded  the 
immediate  surrender  of  the  office  to  which  he  was  entitled. 
One  of  his  first  acts  was  to  nullify  Echeandia’s  decree,  and 
to  write  to  Mexico  and  explain  fully  that  it  was  undoubt- 
edly owing  to  the  influence  of  Padres,  whom  he  well  knew. 
But  before  the  end  of  the  year  Echeandfa  and  his  friends 
rose  in  rebellion,  deposed,  and  exiled  Victoria.  Owing  to 
the  struggles  then  going  on  in  Mexico,  which  culminated 
in  Santa  Anna’s  dictatorship,  the  revolt  of  Echeandfa  was 
overlooked  and  Figueroa  appointed  governor  in  his  stead. 

Prior  to  this,  however,  Padre  Duran  had  written  (Aug- 
ust, 1831)  to  the  fathers,  asking  them  for  their  opinion  of 
a plan  of  virtual  secularization,  which  gave  freedom  from 
Mission  supervision  to  the  Indians,  division  of  property  so 


92  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


that  it  would  provide  for  the  services  of  the  Church,  the  sup- 
port of  the  padres,  and  help  found  new  Missions.  Only 
three  replies  are  extant.  These  are  interesting.  Bancroft 
thus  summarizes  these  letters: 

“ Padre  Juan  Cabot  writes  from  San  Miguel  August  24th,  that 
while  he  would  be  glad  to  be  freed  from  his  cares,  he  can  see 
no  way  of  distributing  the  estates  without  producing  ruin.  The 
Indians  of  his  mission  would  have  to  be  scattered  at  long  dis- 
tances in  order  to  get  a living,  and  he  could  not  be  responsible 
for  their  spiritual  care.  Padre  Jose  Sanchez  deemed  the  execu- 
tion of  the  project  probably  inevitable,  but  sure  to  result,  as  it 
was  intended  to,  in  total  destruction  to  the  missions.  Taking 
into  consideration  what  had  happened  in  Baja  California,  and 
Sonora,  he  could  see  no  possibility  of  good  results  here.  f So 
far  as  it  concerns  me  personally,’  he  writes,  e would  that  it  might 
be  to-morrow,  that  I might  retire  between  the  four  walls  of  a 
cell  to  weep  over  the  time  I have  wasted  in  behalf  of  these  mis- 
erables.’  Padre  Jose  Joachin  Jimenez  of  Santa  Cruz  wrote  in 
October  that  in  view  of  the  reasons  urged  by  the  government, 
and  of  the  fact  that  the  burden  was  becoming  insupportable  to 
the  friars,  it  would  be  wisest  to  free  the  Indians  and  distribute 
the  property  on  the  basis  proposed ; but  also  that  the  Indians 
should  be  obliged  to  keep  their  share  and  to  work.” 

One  matter  of  importance  must  not  be  forgotten.  In 
1833  ten  padres  from  the  college  of  Zacatecas  were  sent  to 
California.  It  must  be  remembered  that  all  the  padres  of 
the  old  regime  were  Spaniards.  Mexico  had  revolted  from 
Spain,  and  there  were  not  a few  who  constantly  agitated 
their  fears  that  the  Spanish  padres  of  California  would 
not  fail  to  intrigue  for  the  restoration  of  Spanish  control. 
Orders  of  banishment  were  issued  against  them,  but  the 
governors  found  it  practically  impossible  to  enforce  them. 
The  padres  were  growing  old,  and  new  blood  was  required ; 
so,  as  the  Zacatecans  were  all  Mexicans,  their  college  was 
required  to  send  priests  to  supply  the  vacant  places.  They 
were  given  control  of  all  the  seven  Missions  north,  includ- 


Plate  XIX 


DOORWAY  TO  SACRISTY,  SAN  CARLOS  CARMELO  j.  DOORWAY  AT  PRESIDIO  CHURCH,  MONTEREY 


SECULARIZATION  OF  THE  MISSIONS  93 


ing  San  Carlos.  Their  superior,  who  had  the  title  of  Com- 
missary, was  Francisco  Garcia  Diego,  and  he  went  to  reside 
at  Santa  Clara. 

In  the  meantime  the  Californian  delegate  to  the  Mexican  * 
Congress,  Carlos  Carrillo,  was  making  strenuous  efforts  to 
keep  the  Missions  and  the  Pious  Fund  intact.  His  zeal 
delayed  any  immediate  action  on  the  Missions,  but  a decree 
was  passed  May  25,  1832,  empowering  the  executive  to 
rent  out  the  properties  owned  by  the  Pious  Fund  for  the 
period  of  seven  years,  the  proceeds  to  be  paid  into  the  na- 
tional treasury.  There  can  be  no  doubt  whatever  but  that 
this  fund  excited  the  cupidity  of  the  Mexican  politicians. 
These  moneys  and  the  prosperous  condition  of  the  Cali- 
fornia Missions  were  the  chief  causes  of  their  downfall. 

With  Figueroa  the  battle  grew  fiercer.  So  much  time 
and  attention  did  he  give  to  it  that  he  finally  published  a 
44  Manifesto  ” to  the  Mexican  people,  explaining  in  ex- 
tenso  his  action.  This,  better  than  anything  else,  shows 
how  the  vultures  at  that  time  were  flying  towards  the  de- 
clining Missions.  The  successive  blows  had  been  subver- 
sive of  discipline,  of  everything  worth  preserving,  and  the 
end  was  not  far  off. 

At  first  the  new  governor  was  inclined  to  follow  Echean- 
dia’s  plans  (who,  by  the  way,  was  still  in  California,  posing 
as  a preserver  of  peace  and  respecter  of  authority),  but 
he  soon  saw  that  too  rapid  secularization  would  demoralize 
everything.  He  reported  to  Mexico  that  the  Indians  were 
but  as  children  with  a natural  predilection  for  the  customs 
of  their  ancestors,  and  for  a savage  life  without  work. 
Durfrig  their  44  reduction ” they  had  learned,  perforce, 
only  to  cultivate  the  soil  imperfectly,  to  practice  some  rude 
industries,  and  to  manage  horses.  If  freed  at  once  from 
their  present  state  of  mild  servitude,  they  would  soon  from 
proprietors  become  beggars,  after  having  bartered  away 
their  possessions  for  liquors  and  gewgaws.  They  would 
then  return  to  the  wilderness  and  join  the  wild  Indians  in 


94  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


stealing  cattle  and  horses,  in  order  to  sell  them  to  the  New 
Mexicans  and  foreigners.  Nevertheless  he  issued  a series 
of  provisional  regulations  on  gradual  emancipation,  await-  * 
ing  instructions  from  the  general  government. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  Don  Jose  Maria  de  Hijar  ap- 
peared in  company  with  the  exiled  Padres  upon  the  scenes 
Figueroa’s  ill  health  had  led  him  to  resign.  Doubtless 
knowing  of  this  through  his  official  “ pulls  ” in  Mexico, 
Padres  had  intrigued  with  such  success  that  the  Cortes 
passed,  August  17,  1833,  the  law  of  secularization  by 
which  the  final  crash  was  brought  about.  The  act  also 
provided  for  the  colonization  of  both  the  Calif ornias,  the 
expenses  of  this  latter  move  to  be  borne  by  the  proceeds 
gained  from  the  distribution  of  the  Mission  property. 
Hijar  was  to  be  made  governor  of  Upper  California  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  this  law  into  effect. 

But  in  the  meantime  Figueroa’s  health  having  been  re- 
stored, he  was  continued  in  office,  so  that,  when  Hijar  and 
Padres  appeared  on  the  scene  with  a number  of  colonists, 
he  met  the  former’s  instructions  to  take  the  political  chief- 
tainship, with  later  instructions  from  the  supreme  gov- 
ernment requiring  of  him  “ that  you  must  not  deliver  up 
the  said  command,  and  that  you  must  continue  in  discharge 
of  the  government.” 

Here,  indeed,  was  a pretty  kettle  of  fish.  It  cannot  be 
denied  that  it  was  awkward  for  all  concerned.  Hijar  and 
Padres  had  started  out  on  an  elaborate  expedition,  the 
initial  cost  financed  by  the  government,  and  a law  passed 
providing  for  the  later  expenses.  They  had  come  a long 
distance,  and  had  brought  the  colonists  into  a foreign  land, 
these  latter  necessarily  relying  upon  the  good  faith  of 
the  supreme  government  and  assured  of  the  integrity  of 
their  leaders,  and  then,  suddenly,  they  find  their  high  hopes 
blasted  by  a complete  reversal  of  the  government’s  plans. 
Their  position  was  critical  and  embarrassing.  Regardless 
of  who  or  what  they  were,  we  cannot  fail  to  sympathize 


SECULARIZATION  OF  THE  MISSIONS  95 


with  them  in  their  situation.  Yet,  equally  so,  can  we  realize 
the  position  of  Figueroa  and  honor  him  for  his  determined 
stand,  not  to  allow  the  Missions  to  be  spoliated,  and  the 
Indians  robbed  because  of  the  bungling,  or  worse,  of  the 
politicians  in  the  colonization  scheme.  The  “ Manifesto  ” is 
Figueroa’s  statement  of  what  transpired  between  himself 
and  Hi  jar  in  the  hot  and  sore  controversy  that  ensued. 
Had  he  manfully  stood  by  his  first  position  he  would  have 
been  regarded  as  a sincere  defender  of  the  Missions ; but 
after  a long  period  of  quarrelling  with  Hi  jar  and  Padres, 
he  exiled  them  on  the  ground  of  their  complicity  in  a revo- 
lution which  sought  his  overthrow,  and  then  published  the 
“Manifesto”  to  the  Californian  and  Mexican  peoples  to 
explain  his  action. 

There  is  strong  reason,  however,  to  doubt  Figueroa’s 
sincerity.  Just  as  Echeandfa  had  forestalled  the  govern- 
ment’s action,  so  did  he.  Even  though  he  had  deemed  his 
own  plans  of  secularization  superior  to  those  of  Mexico, 
he  was  sworn  to  carry  out  the  laws.  If  he  could  not  consci- 
entiously do  this  he  should  have  resigned.  To  his  own 
high-handed  breaking  of  the  law  much  subsequent  law- 
lessness must  be  attributed. 

As  to  what  was  actually  accomplished  under  his  orders, 
the  records  give  uncertain  knowledge.  It  is  known  that 
ten  of  the  Missions  were  fully  secularized.  Bancroft  sum- 
marizes all  the  information  he  found  about  the  year  1834 
somewhat  as  follows:  “ There  is  nothing  in  relation  to  San 
Diego.  At  San  Luis  Rey,  Captain  Portilla  was  commis- 
sioner in  November,  and  the  accounts  turned  over  by  Padre 
Fortuni  showed  assets  of  $46,613  and  liabilities  of  $14,429. 
In  December  the  Indians  refused  to  work,  and  ran  away, 
taking  most  of  the  horses  and  killing  many  cattle;  but  in 
January  they  began  to  come  back  and  behave  better. 
There  is  no  record  for  San  Juan  Capistrano,  except  that 
Juan  Jose  Rocha,  probably  the  commissioner,  acknowl- 
edges on  November  22  receipt  of  resolution  to  secularize 


96  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


the  Mission.  At  San  Gabriel  an  inventory  was  made  in 
November,  1834,  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Gutierrez  was 
doubtless  the  commissioner,  being  in  charge  early  next  year. 
Lieutenant  Antonio  del  Valle  was  the  commissioner  at  San 
Fernando,  and  was  engaged  in  October  in  making  inven- 
tories. At  Santa  Barbara  Alf.  Anastasio  Carillo  was 
commissioner  from  September,  with  Jose  Maria  Garcia  as 
majordomo  from  October.  Domingo  Carillo  was  commis- 
sioner of  Purfsinpa  in  November.  There  are  no  records  for 
San  Luis,  San  Miguel,  San  Antonio,  San  Carlos,  San  Juan, 
or  Soledad.  Santa  Cruz,  which  was  now  known  as  Pueblo 
de  Figueroa,  was  delivered  to  Alf.  Ignacio  del  Valle  as 
commissioner  on  August  24 ; and  Juan  Gonzalez  was 
majordomo  from  October.  There  is  no  record  of  seculari- 
zation this  year  at  Santa  Clara  or  San  Jose.  At  San 
Francisco  de  Asis  Joaquin  Estudillo  took  charge  as  com- 
missioner in  September.  At  San  Rafael  an  inventory  was 
taken  in  September,  the  pueblo  was  marked  out  in  October 
by  Ignacio  Martinez,  who  was  probably  the  commissioner, 
and  stock  was  distributed  in  December.  San  Francisco 
Solano  was  perhaps  not  fully  secularized  until  next  year.” 

In  1835  it  is  noted  that  six  additional  Missions  were 
secularized,  — San  Diego,  San  Luis  Obispo,  San  Antonio, 
Soledad,  San  Juan  Bautista,  and  San  Francisco  Solano. 
So  far  as  the  records  show,  nothing  had  yet  been  done  to 
definitely  change  the  status  of  San  Buenaventura,  Santa 
Ines,  San  Miguel,  Santa  Clara,  and  San  Jose.  In  1836- 
37,  however,  these  were  secularized,  the  first  two  owing  to  a 
quarrel  the  padres  had  with  the  new  governor,  Chico,  and 
the  others  by  order  of  the  assembly. 

Figueroa  was  now  dead,  but  the  plan  he  had  illegally 
set  in  motion  was  at  work.  The  old  padres,  who,  as  it  will 
be  remembered,  were  now  south  of  San  Carlos,  generally 
accepted  the  situation  in  good  faith.  They  had  fought  a 
good  and  long  fight,  had  lost,  and,  as  gentlemen  and  Chris- 
tians, were  accepting  the  result.  It  is  said  the  new  padres 


SECULARIZATION  OF  THE  MISSIONS  97 


from  Zacatecas  were  not  so  complaisant;  but  there  are  so 
many  wild  rumors  and  exaggerated  statements  as  the  nat- 
ural outcome  of  the  strained  political  conditions  of  the 
time  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  at  the  truth. 

There  have  been  hundreds  of  pages  written  about  the 
wild  slaughtering  of  cattle  by  the  padres  in  order  that 
they  might  turn  into  money  everything  under  their  control. 
That  the  officials  of  the  province  believed  that  something 
of  this  kind  was  going  on  is  evident  by  the  two  decrees 
they  passed  upon  the  subject,  and  Bancroft  thinks  there 
was  some  foundation  for  the  general  belief,  though  much 
exaggerated.  As  to  the  further  charge  that  the  padres 
wantonly  injured  the  Mission  buildings,  I cannot  believe 
there  is  the  slightest  foundation  of  truth  in  it.  They  may 
have  neglected  the  gardens  and  orchards,  as  who  would 
not,  not  knowing  at  what  moment  they  might  be  sent  away, 
and  the  Indians  feeling,  as  the  slaves  did  in  the  South  dur- 
ing the  Civil  War,  all  the  unsettling  influences  of  the  time, 
and,  therefore,  making  the  task  of  controlling  them  es- 
pecially hard. 

It  is  possible  that  if  things  could  have  gone  on  for  a 
decade  as  Figueroa  had  planned,  all  would  have  ended  much 
more  happily  than  it  did.  But  fresh  and  worse  disasters 
were  ahead. 

To  attempt  to  recount  them  all  is  impossible.  Mexico 
being  in  such  a whirl  of  revolution,  California  was  equally 
afflicted,  and  there  came  governor  after  governor,  44  each 
worse  than  the  other,”  as  a Hibernian  might  express  it. 
Rival  political  factions  outdid  each  other  in  their  spolia- 
tion policies  towards  the  Missions.  Under  any  circum- 
stances, — even  of  the  very  best,  — the  secularization  plan 
would  have  required  great  wisdom  to  carry  it  out.  As  it 
was,  it  seems  as  if  no  combination  of  circumstances  could 
have  been  worse.  All  writers  are  unanimous  in  saying  that 
Governor  Alvarado’s  rule  from  1836  to  1842  was  one  of 
plunder  and  ruin  in  Mission  history.  Bancroft  says  44  the 

7 


98  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


methods  of  spoliation  were  substantially  as  follows:  The 
governor  and  subordinate  officials  by  his  authority  used 
the  cattle  and  grain  of  the  Missions  as  freely  as  they  used 
the  revenues  from  other  sources.  If  the  government  con- 
tracted a debt  to  a trader,  the  governor  gave  in  payment 
an  order  on  any  Mission  for  wheat,  tallow,  or  hides,  just 
as  he  would  draw  a check  on  the  treasury.  The  major- 
domo,  being  an  employe  of  the  government,  obeyed  the 
order  as  a rule  whenever  the  articles  called  for  existed  at 
his  Mission.” 

Governor  Alvarado  also  “ loaned  ” Mission  cattle  to 
private  individuals,  on  the  condition  that  the  same  number 
of  cattle  be  returned  later.  In  nine  cases  out  of  ten  the 
loans  were  never  repaid. 

Of  the  methods  too  generally  followed  by  the  administra- 
tors of  the  order  of  secularization,  too  strong  words  of 
censure  cannot  be  spoken.  They  were  selfishly  cruel,  wan- 
tonly wicked,  and  diabolically  inhuman.  There  was  no 
pretence  to  any  care  for  the  rights  or  interests  of  the  In- 
dians. The  Mission  establishments  were  merely  objects  of 
legalized  pillage,  or,  at  least,  if  the  pillage  were  not  legal- 
ized, it  was  overlooked  and  tacitly  condoned.  As  business 
men  they  were  incompetent  and  stupid,  deliberately  allowing 
valuable  properties  to  drift  to  ruin  without  the  slightest 
attempt  to  save  them.  “ Others  were  vicious  as  well  as 
incompetent,  always  ready  to  sell  any  article  of  Mission 
property,  not  only  live-stock,  but  kitchen  utensils,  farm 
implements,  tools  from  the  shops,  and  tiles  from  the  roofs, 
for  money  with  which  to  gratify  their  propensity  for  gam- 
bling. Still  others  were  dishonest  and  able,  devoting  their 
energies  to  laying  the  foundation  of  future  wealth  for 
themselves  and  friends,  oppressing  the  Indians,  quarrelling 
with  such  padres,  officials,  and  assistants  as  they  could  not 
control  or  deceive,  and  disposing  of  the  Mission  wealth 
without  scruple  for  their  own  interests.  Finally,  there 
were,  I suppose,  some  honest,  faithful,  and  tolerably  effi- 


SECULARIZATION  OF  THE  MISSIONS  99 


cient  managers,  who  did  as  well  as  was  possible  under 
difficult  circumstances.” 

When  Pio  Pico  became  governor,  there  were  few  funds 
with  which  to  carry  on  the  affairs  of  the  country,  and  he 
prevailed  upon  the  assembly  to  pass  a decree  authorizing 
the  renting  or  the  sale  of  the  Mission  property,  reserv- 
ing only  the  church,  a curate’s  house,  and  a building 
for  a court-house.  From  the  proceeds  the  expenses  of  con- 
ducting the  services  of  the  church  were  to  be  provided, 
but  there  was  no  disposition  made  as  to  what  should  be 
done  to  secure  the  funds  for  that  purpose.  Under  this 
decree  the  final  acts  of  spoliation  were  consummated,  as 
will  be  seen  from  a study  of  the  chapter  devoted  to  each 
Mission. 

The  padres  took  the  matter  in  accordance  with  their 
individual  temperaments.  Some  were  hopefully  cheerful, 
and  did  the  best  they  could  for  their  Indian  charges; 
others  were  sulky  and  sullen,  and  retired  to  the  chambers 
allotted  to  them,  coming  forth  only  when  necessary  duty 
called;  still  others  were  belligerent,  and  fought  everything 
and  everybody,  and,  it  must  be  confessed,  generally  with 
just  cause. 

As  for  the  Indians,  elsewhere  I have  shown  the  effect  of 
the  change  upon  them.  It  was  exactly  as  all  thoughtful 
men  had  foreseen.  Those  who  received  property  seldom 
made  good  use  of  it,  and  soon  lost  it.  Cattle  were  neg- 
lected, tools  unused,  for  there  were  none  to  compel  to  their 
care  or  use.  Consequently  it  was  easy  to  convert  them  into 
money,  which  was  soon  gambled  or  drank  away.  Rapidly 
they  sank  from  worse  to  worse,  until  now  only  a few 
scattered  settlements  remain  of  the  once  vast  number, 
30,000  or  more,  that  were  reasonably  happy  and  prosper- 
ous under  the  rule  of  the  padres. 

A laudable  effort  is  now  being  made  to  save  some  of  the 
things  scattered  at  the  time  of  secularization.  One  col- 
lection has  been  bought  by  the  Southern  California  Archae- 


100  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


ological  Society,  and  it  is  eventually  to  be  placed  on  per- 
manent exhibition  in  Los  Angeles.  It  is  thus  described : 

“ There  is  in  Los  Angeles,  an  invaluable  collection  of  oil 
paintings,  mostly  very  old,  which  formerly  hung  in  the  Francis- 
can Missions  of  Southern  California ; and  a collection  of  books 
which  were  once  in  the  libraries  of  those  Missions.  At  the  time 
of  the  secularization  these  articles  were  pillaged,  even  as  the 
tiles  were  stolen  to  roof  sheds  and  pig-pens.  About  twenty 
years  ago,  a man  with  the  right  feeling  — a poor  man,  it  hardly 
needs  be  said  — began  gathering  up  these  scattered  articles, 
buying  them  at  his  own  proper  cost  from  the  families  into  whose 
hands  they  had  fallen.” 

When  it  was  known  that  the  United  States  had  designs 
on  California  the  last  scramble  came.  Lands,  churches, 
everything  was  sold  at  whatever  price  it  would  fetch;  in 
some  cases  given  away  by  the  last  honorable  governor. 
Properties  were  sold  for  as  many  tens  as  they  were  worth 
thousands. 

When,  finally,  the  United  States  gained  possession,  and 
a land  court  adjudicated  the  questions  of  title,  all  the 
Mission  buildings  were  returned  to  the  custody  of  the 
Church,  and  some  of  the  lands.  But  their  glory  was  de- 
parted ; their  sun  was  set ; and  we  look  upon  them  now  as 
we  look  on  their  ruined  temples  of  Assyria,  the  Nile,  and 
India,  — memorials  of  a time  and  conditions  that  are 
past. 


SAN  DIEGO  DE  ALCALA 


101 


CHAPTER  VI 


SAN  DIEGO  DE  ALCALA 

THE  story  of  the  founding  of  San  Diego  by  Serra 
has  already  been  given.  It  was  the  beginning 
of  the  realization  of  his  fondest  hopes.  The 
early  troubles  with  the  Indians  delayed  conversions,  but  in 
1773  Serra  reported  that  some  headway  had  been  made. 
He  gives  the  original  name  of  the  place  as  Cosoy , in  32° 
43',  built  on  a hill  two  gunshots  from  the  shore,  and  fac- 
ing the  entrance  to  the  port  at  Point  Guijarros.  The  mis- 
sionaries left  in  charge  were  Padres  Fernando  Parron  and 
Francisco  Gomez. 

About  the  middle  of  July  ill  health  compelled  Parron  to 
retire  to  Lower  California  and  Gomez  to  Mexico,  and 
Padres  Luis  Jayme  and  Francisco  Dumetz  took  their 
places. 

San  Diego  was  in  danger  of  being  abandoned  for  lack 
of  provisions,  for  in  1772  Padre  Crespf,  who  was  at  San 
Carlos,  writes  that  on  the  30th  of  March  of  that  year  “ the 
mail  reached  us  with  the  lamentable  news  that  this  Mission 
of  San  Diego  was  to  be  abandoned  for  lack  of  victuals.” 
Serra  then  sent  him  with  “ twenty-two  mules,  and  with 
them  fifteen  half-loads  of  flour  ” for  their  succor.  Padres 
Dumetz  and  Cambon  had  gone  out  to  hunt  for  food  to  the 
Lower  California  Missions.  The  same  scarcity  was  no- 
ticed at  San  Gabriel,  and  the  padres,  “for  a considerable 
time,  already,  had  been  using  the  supplies  which  were  on 
hand  to  found  the  Mission  of  San  Buenaventura;  and 
though  they  have  drawn  their  belts  tight  there  remains  to 


102  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


them  provisions  only  for  two  months  and  a half.”  Later, 
Crespf  asks : 

“ What  are  we  to  do  if  there  is  not  wherewith  we  can  maintain 
ourselves  ? If  the  escort  for  a long  time  is  maintaining  itself  with 
the  sole  ration  of  half  a pint  of  com,  and  of  only  twenty  ounces 
of  Flour  daily ; and  the  Fathers  the  same,  with  a little  milk  — 
how  are  they  to  be  able  to  endure  ? We  are  without  pottage 
whatever,  more  than  the  little  Corn  and  Flour  aforesaid.  And 
they  say  that  thus  they  have  passed  most  of  the  year  — without 
lard,  without  tallow,  and  without  one  candle  of  this  sort,  nor 
even  wine  for  masses  — since  only  on  Sundays  and  feast  days  is 
Mass  said.  God  grant  that  Father  Dumetz  arrive  promptly  with 
the  Succor  for  these  Missions,  and  that  the  Barque  bring  it  to  us. 
For  otherwise  we  are  Lost.” 

Fortunately  help  came  from  both  sources;  so  the  work 
continued. 

The  region  of  San  Diego  was  well  peopled.  At  the  time 
of  the  founding  there  were  eleven  rancherias  within  a 
radius  of  ten  leagues.  They  must  have  been  of  a different 
type  from  most  of  the  Indians  of  the  coast,  for,  from  the 
first,  as  the  old  Spanish  chronicler  reports,  they  were 
insolent,  arrogant,  and  thievish.  They  lived  on  grass 
seeds,  fish,  and  rabbits. 

In  1774,  the  separation  of  the  Mission  from  the  presidio 
was  decided  upon,  in  order  to  remove  the  neophytes  from 
the  evil  influences  of  the  soldiers.  The  site  chosen  was  six 
miles  up  the  valley  (named  Nipaguay  by  the  Indians),  and 
so  well  did  all  work  together  that  by  the  end  of  the  year 
a dwelling,  a storehouse,  a smithy  built  of  adobes,  and  a 
wooden  church  eighteen  by  fifty-seven  feet,  and  roofed  with 
tiles,  were  completed.  Already  the  work  of  the  padres  had 
accomplished  much.  Seventy-six  neophytes  rejoiced  their 
religious  hearts,  and  the  herds  had  increased  to  40  cattle, 
64  sheep,  55  goats,  19  hogs,  2 jacks,  2 burros,  17  mares, 
3 foals,  9 horses,  22  mules,  — 233  animals  in  all. 

The  presidio  remained  at  Cosoy  (where  the  old  palms 


Plate  XX 


a.  OUR  LADY  AS  QUEEN  OF 
SANTA  BARBARA 


b.  THE  HOLY  VIRGIN  MOTHER 


HEAVEN, 


c.  SANTA  LUCIA 


d.  SANTA  INES 


SAN  DIEGO  DE  ALCALA 


103 


now  are  at  Old  San  Diego),  and  four  thousand  adobes  that 
had  been  made  for  the  Mission  buildings  were  turned  over 
to  the  military.  A rude  stockade  was  erected,  with  two 
bronze  cannon,  one  mounted  towards  the  harbor,  the  other 
towards  the  Indian  rancheria. 

The  experiments  in  grain  raising  at  first  were  not  suc- 
cessful. The  seed  was  sown  in  the  river  bottom  and  the 
crop  was  destroyed  by  the  unexpected  rising  of  the  river. 
The  following  year  it  was  sown  so  far  from  water  that  it 
died  from  drought. 

There  were  several  changes,  arrivals,  and  departures 
among  the  padres  during  the  first  few  years,  but  the  most 
important  was  the  arrival  on  August  30,  1773,  of  Fran- 
cisco Palou  with  seven  others  from  Lower  California. 

In  the  meantime  Serra,  having  had  difficulties  with  Gov- 
ernor Fages,  went  to  Mexico  to  plead  the  cause  of  the 
Missions,  and,  returning,  arrived  at  San  Diego  March  13, 
1774.  On  the  6th  of  April  he  left  for  Monterey.  Slowly 
things  began  to  improve.  In  the  fall  of  1775  all  seemed  to 
be  bright  with  hope.  New  buildings  had  been  erected,  a 
well  dug,  and  more  land  made  ready  for  sowing.  The 
Indians  were  showing  greater  willingness  to  submit  them- 
selves to  the  priests,  when  a conflict  occurred  that  revealed 
to  the  padres  what  they  might  have  to  contend  with  in  their 
future  efforts  towards  the  christianizing  of  the  natives. 
The  day  before  the  feast  of  St.  Francis  (October  4),  1775, 
Padres  Jayme  and  Fuster  were  made  happy  by  being  re- 
quired to  baptize  sixty  new  converts.  Yet  a few  days  later 
they  were  saddened  by  the  fact  that  two  of  these  newly 
baptized  fled  from  the  Mission  and  escaped  to  the  moun- 
tains, there  to  stir  up  enmity  and  revolt.  For  nearly  a 
month  they  moved  about,  fanning  the  fires  of  hatred 
against  the  “ long  gowns,”  until  on  the  night  of  November 
4 (1775)  nearly  800  naked  savages,  after  dusk,  stealthily 
advanced  and  surrounded  the  Mission  where  the  inmates 
slept  unguarded,  so  certain  were  they  of  their  security. 


104  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Part  of  the  force  went  on  to  the  presidio,  where,  in  the 
absence  of  the  commander,  the  laxity  of  discipline  was  such 
that  no  sentinel  was  on  guard. 

An  hour  after  midnight  the  whole  of  the  Mission  was 
surrounded.  The  quarters  of  the  christianized  Indians 
were  invaded,  and  they  were  threatened  with  instantaneous 
death  if  they  gave  the  alarm.  The  church  was  broken  into 
and  all  the  vestments  and  sacred  vessels  stolen.  Then  the 
buildings  were  fired.  Not  until  then  did  the  inmates  know 
of  their  danger.  Imagine  their  horror,  to  wake  up  and  find 
the  building  on  fire  and  themselves  surrounded  by  what,  in 
their  dazed  condition,  seemed  countless  hordes  of  savages, 
all  howling,  yelling,  brandishing  war  clubs,  firing  their 
arrows,  — the  scene  made  doubly  fearful  by  the  red  glare 
of  the  flames. 

In  the  guard-house  were  four  soldiers,  — the  whole  of 
the  Mission  garrison;  in  the  house  the  two  priests,  Jayme 
and  Fuster,  two  little  boys,  and  three  men  (a  blacksmith 
and  two  carpenters).  Father  Fuster,  the  two  boys,  and  the 
blacksmith  sought  to  reach  the  guard-house,  but  the  latter 
was  slain  on  the  way.  The  Indians  broke  into  the  room 
where  the  carpenters  were,  and  one  of  them  was  so  cruelly 
wounded  that  he  died  the  next  day. 

Father  Jayme,  with  the  shining  light  of  martyrdom  in 
his  eyes,  and  the  fierce  joy  of  fearlessness  in  his  heart, 
not  only  refused  to  seek  shelter,  but  deliberately  walked 
towards  the  howling  band,  lifting  his  hands  in  blessing  with 
his  usual  salutation : “ Love  God,  my  children ! ” Scarcely 
were  the  words  uttered  when  the  wild  band  fell  upon  him, 
shrieking  and  crying,  tearing  off  his  habit,  thrusting  him 
rudely  along,  smiting  him  with  stones,  sticks,  and  battle- 
axe,  until  at  the  edge  of  the  creek  his  now  naked  body  was 
bruised  until  life  was  extinct,  and  then  the  corpse  filled  with 
arrows. 

During  this  time  the  fierce  attack  on  the  guard-house 
continued.  Soon  it  was  in  flames.  Six  men  and  two  chil- 


SAN  DIEGO  DE  ALCALA 


105 


dren  defended  it  against  not  less  than  four  hundred 
screeching,  vindictive,  avowedly  murderous  savages.  One 
of  the  soldiers,  who  in  the  flurry  had  forgotten  his  leathern 
cuirass,  was  soon  disabled;  thus  three  only  of  the  soldiers 
and  the  carpenter  were  the  firing  squad,  with  Father 
Fuster  and  the  two  boys  loading  the  guns  for  them.  When 
the  heat  grew  unbearable  this  brave  band  rushed  into  a 
kitchen  close  by,  which  had  one  side  open.  Its  roof  con- 
sisted of  boughs  thrown  loosely  over  to  protect  those  inside 
from  the  sun’s  rays.  Into  the  open  space  the  Indians 
hurled  firebrands,  discharged  their  arrows,  and  sent  whirl- 
ing stones  with  crashing  force.  To  afford  a little  more 
protection,  the  defenders  raised  a small  barricade  with 
chests,  boxes,  etc.,  from  the  adjoining  storeroom. 

Soon  the  Indians  who  had  gone  to  storm  the  presidio 
returned.  They  had  not  reached  their  destination  when  the 
glare  of  the  flames  apprised  them  that  the  attack  on  the 
Mission  had  begun ; and,  fearing  lest  the  garrison  should 
thereby  be  warned  and  prepared  for  them,  they  decided  to 
return.  The  loud  shout  that  went  up  from  the  Indians  at 
this  great  reinforcement  would  have  sent  terror  into  the 
stoutest  heart ; yet,  though  only  two  of  the  soldiers  and  the 
padre  were  left  in  fighting  trim,  the  grim  defence  still  went 
on.  So  successful  were  the  shots  of  the  defenders  that  they 
managed  to  keep  the  foe  at  bay  until  morning,  when,  giv- 
ing up  the  fight,  the  attacking  force  gathered  up  their 
dead  and  wounded  and  retired  to  the  mountains. 

No  sooner  were  they  gone  than  the  neophytes  came  rush- 
ing up  to  see  if  any  were  left  alive.  Their  delight  at  find- 
ing Father  Fuster  was  immediately  changed  into  sadness 
as  others  brought  in  the  awfully  mutilated  and  desecrated 
body  of  Father  Jayme.  Not  until  then  did  Father  Fuster 
know  that  his  companion  was  dead,  and  deep  was  the 
mourning  of  his  inmost  soul  as  he  performed  the  last  offices 
for  his  dear  companion. 

Strange  to  say,  so  careless  was  the  garrison  that  not 


106  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


until  a messenger  reached  it  from  Father  Fuster  did  they 
know  of  the  attack.  They  had  placed  no  guards,  posted 
no  sentinels,  and,  indifferent  in  their  foolish  scorn  of  the 
prowess  and  courage  of  the  Indians,  had  slept  calmly, 
though  they  themselves  might  easily  have  been  surprised, 
and  the  whole  garrison  murdered  while  asleep. 

It  was  a melancholy  procession  that  marched  from  the 
smoking  ruins  to  the  presidio,  — the  wounded  and  disabled, 
the  murdered  padre,  the  charred  remains  of  the  black- 
smith, and  the  few  animals  that  remained  of  the  Mission 
herds,  accompanied  by  the  saddened  padre  and  his  faithful 
few. 

Investigation  revealed  that  after  the  last  baptismal 
ceremony  two  of  the  neophytes,  Carlos  and  Francisco,  had 
run  away  and  started  on  a tour  of  all  the  rancherias,  in- 
citing the  Indians  to  rise  and  kill  the  Spaniards.  As  to 
the  participation  of  the  other  neophytes,  there  seems  to  be 
disagreement.  Anza  believed  that  these  planned  the  up- 
rising, deceiving  the  padres,  and  made  the  surprise  possible. 

When  the  news  reached  Serra  it  brought  a song  of 
praise  from  his  heart,  instead  of  a wail  of  regret:  “ God 
be  thanked ; now  the  soil  is  watered ; now  will  the  reduction 
of  the  Dieguinos  be  complete.”  In  the  meantime  letters 
were  sent  for  aid  to  Rivera  at  Monterey,  and  Anza,  the 
latter  known  to  be  approaching  from  the  Colorado  River 
region ; and  in  suspense  until  they  arrived,  the  little  garri- 
son and  the  remaining  priests  passed  the  rest  of  the  year. 
The  two  commanders  met  at  San  Gabriel,  and  together 
marched  to  San  Diego,  where  they  arrived  January  11, 
1776.  It  was  not  long  before  they  quarrelled.  Anza  was 
for  quick,  decisive  action;  Rivera  was  for  delay;  and,  when 
news  arrived  from  San  Gabriel  that  the  food  supply  was 
running  short,  Anza  left  in  order  to  carry  out  his  original 
orders,  which  involved  the  founding  of  San  Francisco.  Not 
long  after  his  departure  Carlos,  the  neophyte  who  had  been 
concerned  in  the  insurrection,  returned  to  San  Diego,  and, 


SAN  DIEGO  DE  ALCALA 


107 


doubtless  acting  under  the  suggestion  of  the  padres,  took 
refuge  in  the  temporary  church  at  the  presidio.  The 
law  of  sanctuary  for  many  centuries  operated  in  nearly 
all  — if  not  all  — European  countries.  Any  debtor  or 
person  suspected  of  crime  was  allowed  to  postpone  his 
arrest  by  entering  a church.  It  was  the  old  Hebrew  law 
that  a criminal  was  safe  if  he  took  hold  of  the  two  horns 
upon  the  altar.  In  all  Spanish-speaking  countries  the  civil 
law  forbade  the  magistrates  or  their  officers  from  laying 
their  hands  upon  any  person  inside  a church  without  the 
permission  of  the  clerical  authorities.  The  proper  and 
authorized  method  of  procedure  was  to  make  a sworn  decla- 
ration, and  with  this  in  hand  given  to  the  priest,  the  obstacle 
was  removed. 

In  the  case  of  the  Indian  Carlos,  Padre  Fuster  notified 
Rivera  and  informed  him  what  was  to  be  done.  The  Gov- 
ernor, instead  of  sending  the  sworn  document  which  would 
have  ended  the  matter,  sent  an  officer  with  a letter  demand- 
ing the  surrender  of  the  Indian  on  two  grounds,  namely: 
that  his  offence  was  such  as  not  to  entitle  him  to  sanctuary ; 
and  that  the,  room  where  mass  was  said  could  not  be  called 
a church.  The  padre  held  a consultation  with  his  brother 
priests,  and  as  a result  the  Governor  was  told  that,  except 
on  the  sworn  statement,  they  dare  not  give  up  the  man, 
save  by  orders  of  their  superior,  Serra,  and  that,  there- 
fore, if  he  attempted  to  make  the  arrest  by  force  they 
would  be  under  the  necessity  of  excommunicating  him.  Im- 
mediately on  receipt  of  this  answer,  Rivera  called  for  a 
lighted  candle,  his  baton  of  office,  and,  his  sword  by  his 
side,  entered  the  church,  seized  the  skulking  Indian,  took 
him  outside  and  delivered  him  to  the  guard.  Padre  Fuster 
protested  against  this  violation  of  both  civil  and  church 
law,  but  all  the  answer  he  got  was : 44  Protest  away,  your 
reverence,  for  there  goes  the  protest  before  you.”  And  he 
pointed  to  the  prisoner  that  his  officers  were  taking  away. 

On  the  next  feast  day  Padre  Lasuen  (who  afterwards 


108  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


became  Padre  presidente  of  the  California  Missions),  had 
to  say  mass,  but  before  he  did  so  declared  that  those  who 
had  violated  the  sanctuary  must  depart,  and  Rivera  and 
his  officers,  who  had  participated  in  the  affair,  were  obliged 
to  retire  before  the  service  proceeded. 

It  was  not  until  after  the  intervention  of  Padre  Serra 
that  the  ban  of  excommunication  was  removed  from  Rivera, 
and  this  was  doubtless  one  of  the  causes  that  led  him  to 
annoy  the  priests  whenever  occasion  arose. 

In  his  method  of  dealing  with  the  rebel  Indians,  Serra 
saw  a great  hindrance  to  his  spiritual  work.  It  had  been 
found  by  long  years  of  missionary  labor  that  prompt  and 
decisive  measures,  and  then  the  exercise  of  a kindly  spirit, 
worked  far  better  than  long  continued  retaliatory  meas- 
ures. Rivera,  on  the  other  hand,  went  in  for  extensive 
campaigns,  long  examinations,  and  rigorous  punishment  of 
those  he  deemed  guilty.  All  this  interfered  with  resump- 
tion of  work  on  the  church ; so  Serra  himself  went  to  San 
Diego,  and,  finding  the  ship  “ San  Antonio  ” in  the  har- 
bor, made  an  arrangement  with  Captain  Choquet  to  supply 
sailors  to  do  the  building  under  his  own  direction.  Rivera 
was  then  written  to  for  a guard,  and  he  sent  six  soldiers. 
On  August  22,  1777,  the  three  padres,  Choquet  with  his 
mate  and  boatswain  and  twenty  sailors,  a company  of  neo- 
phytes, and  the  six  soldiers  went  to  the  old  site  and  began 
work  in  earnest,  digging  the  foundations,  making  adobes, 
and  collecting  stones.  The  plan  was  to  build  a wall  for 
defence,  and  then  erect  the  church  and  other  buildings 
inside.  For  fifteen  days  all  went  well.  Then  an  Indian 
went  to  Rivera  with  a story  that  hostile  Indians  were  pre- 
paring arrows  for  a new  attack,  and  this  so  scared  the 
gallant  officer  that  he  withdrew  his  six  men.  Choquet  had 
to  leave  with  his  men,  as  he  dared  not  take  the  responsi- 
bility of  being  away  with  so  many  men  without  the  con- 
sent of  Rivera ; and,  to  the  padre’s  great  sorrow,  the  work 
had  to  cease. 


Plate  XXI 


a.  ST.  JOHN  THE  EVANGELIST, 
SANTA  CLARA 


c.  PROCESSIONAL  CROSS  (FRONT), 
SANTA  IN'ES 


b.  ST.  STEPHEN,  SANTA  CLARA 


d.  PROCESSIONAL  CROSS  (REVERSE), 
SANTA  INES 


SAN  DIEGO  DE  ALCALA 


109 


A few  days  later  a native  reported  that  soldiers  were 
marching  up  the  peninsula  from  Velicata.  These  were 
found  to  be  extra  soldiers  for  guards,  so  it  was  not  long 
before  work  was  resumed,  and  the  buildings  were  in  con- 
dition for  occupancy. 

In  March  of  1778  Captain  Carrillo  was  sent  to  chastise 
hostile  Indians  at  Pamo  who  had  sent  insolent  messages  to 
Captain  Ortega.  Carrillo  surprised  the  foe,  killed  two, 
burned  others  who  took  refuge  in  a hut,  while  the  others 
surrendered  and  were  publicly  flogged.  The  four  chiefs, 
Aachel,  Aalcuirin,  Aaaran,  and  Taguagui,  were  captured, 
taken  to  San  Diego,  and  there  shot,  though  the  officer  had 
no  legal  right  to  condemn  even  an  Indian  to  death  without 
the  approval  of  the  governor.  Ortega’s  sentence  reads : 
“ Deeming  it  useful  to  the  service  of  God,  the  King,  and 
the  public  weal,  I sentence  them  to  a violent  death  by  two 
musket-shots  on  the  11th  at  9 a.  m.,  the  troops  to  be  pres- 
ent at  the  execution  under  arms,  also  all  the  Christian 
rancherfas  subject  to  the  San  Diego  Mission,  that  they 
may  be  warned  to  act  righteously.” 

Ortega  then  instructed  Padres  Lasuen  and  Figuer  to 
prepare  the  condemned.  “ You  will  co-operate  for  the 
good  of  their  souls  in  the  understanding  that  if  they  do  not 
accept  the  salutary  waters  of  baptism  they  die  on  Saturday 
morning ; and  if  they  do  — they  die  all  the  same ! ” This 
was  the  first  public  execution  in  California. 

In  1779  Indians  were  chosen  as  alcaldes  and  regidores. 
This  was  a wise  procedure,  and  one  which,  perhaps  better 
than  any  other,  if  persisted  in,  would  have  taught  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  citizenship  to  the  Indians.  To  have  mem- 
bers of  their  own  society  act  as  magistrates,  and,  under  the 
direction  of  the  padres  until  they  were  wise  enough  to  work 
alone,  administer  their  laws,  would  have  taught  them  far 
more  than  paternalism  could  have  done.  It  is  a great  pity 
that  this  system,  thus  wisely  begun,  was  not  persisted  in 
and  introduced  at  all  the  Missions. 


110  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


In  1780  the  new  church,  built  of  adobe,  strengthened 
and  roofed  with  pine  timbers,  ninety  feet  long  and  seven- 
teen feet  wide  and  high,  was  completed. 

In  1782  fire  destroyed  the  old  presidio  church. 

All  communication  with  Mexico  was  either  by  water  or 
overland  down  the  peninsula.  When  Governor  Neve  left 
California  he  recommended  that  a new  and  better  route  to 
the  south  be  found,  and  this  was  evidently  done,  as  in  1786 
General  Rengel  gave  his  approval  to  a new  route  which 
was  said  to  save  ten  or  twelve  leagues  of  distance  and  avoid 
some  dangerous  bands  of  coast  Indians. 

It  was  also  attempted,  in  1788,  to  find  an  inland  route 
by  way  of  the  desert  and  the  Colorado  River  to  Sonora,  but 
the  officer  sent  out  — Alferez  Velasquez  — soon  wearied 
and  returned.  In  1785  Governor  Fages  himself  made  the 
trip,  having  one  or  two  brushes  with  the  Indians.  He,  by 
the  way,  was  the  first  white  man  who  crossed  from  the  Col- 
orado River  to  San  Diego.  He  made  this  trip  in  1782. 

In  1788  Lasuen  made  an  interesting  report  on  the  con- 
dition of  San  Diego.  At  the  Mission  there  were  church, 
granary,  storehouse,  hospital,  men’s  house,  shed  for  wood 
and  oven,  two  houses  for  the  padres,  larder,  guest-room, 
and  kitchen.  These,  with  the  soldiers’  barracks,  filled  three 
sides  of  a square  of  about  160  feet,  and  on  the  fourth  side 
was  an  adobe  wall,  nearly  ten  feet  high.  There  were  740 
neophytes  at  that  time  under  missionary  care,  though 
Lasuen  spoke  most  disparagingly  of  the  location  as  a 
Mission  site. 

In  May,  1790,  Jose  Antonio  Romeu  was  appointed  gov- 
ernor of  the  Californias,  and  in  August  of  1791  he  reached 
San  Diego  on  his  way  to  Monterey.  His  rule  was  short, 
for  he  died  in  April  of  the  following  year,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Arrillaga,  who  was  the  lieutenant-governor. 

In  1800  the  number  of  neophytes  at  San  Diego  was 
1528.  There  had  been  1820  baptisms  and  628  deaths.  It 
was  now  the  most  populous  Mission  in  California.  In  the 


SAN  DIEGO  DE  ALCALA 


111 


year  1797  there  were  554  baptisms,  the  banner  year  in  the 
whole  history  of  the  Missions  except  1803,  when,  at  Santa 
Barbara,  831  received  the  water  of  the  holy  sacrament. 

The  Mission  herds  multiplied  in  this  decade  from  1730 
to  6960  head,  and  its  flocks  from  2100  to  6000.  The  har- 
vest of  agricultural  products  in  1800  was  2600  bushels,  the 
largest  crops  having  been  9450  bushels  in  1793  and  1799. 
A large  tile-roofed  granary  was  built,  96  by  24  feet.  In 
1794  the  Mission  wall  was  constructed,  and  the  vineyard 
surrounded  by  five  hundred  yards  of  adobe  wall.  In  1795 
work  was  begun  on  a newly  discovered  source  of  water- 
supply  for  irrigation.  This  is  believed  by  some  to  have 
been  the  extensive  work  now  in  ruins ; though  others  claim 
it  was  not  begun  until  after  the  ruinous  drought  of  1809. 

The  dam  is  in  a rocky  gorge  at  the  west  end  of  the 
Cajon  Valley,  about  three  and  a half  miles  above  the 
Mission.  It  is  built  of  gray  granite  and  cement,  more  than 
twelve  feet  thick,  and  is  almost  as  perfect  as  when  com- 
pleted, though  the  sand  has  filled  it  up  nearly  to  the  level. 
A three-inch  tile  opened  into  the  acequia,  which  is  made  of 
cement  and  stones,  with  a concave  tile  for  the  bottom.  It 
is  two  feet  across  and  two  feet  in  depth. 

There  were  places  where  the  aqueduct  had  to  be  carried 
over  cross-gulches,  but  the  fall  of  the  channel  was  so  per- 
fectly engineered  that  it  delivered  the  water  in  full  flow 
at  the  spot  required.  In  1817  Governor  Sola  visited  San 
Diego,  and  he  says  the  padres  46  had  now  begun  to  bring 
water  through  conduits,”  so  it  may  be  possible  these  works 
were  not  finished  until  about  that  time. 

From  the  top  of  the  dam  a glorious  view  may  be  had  of 
Cuyamaca  Peak,  about  forty  miles  away,  where  the  timbers 
were  secured  for  the  Waste  Gate  and  the  Mission;  and 
about  a mile  above  the  dam,  on  a hill  commanding  a won- 
derful outlook,  is  an  old  fortified  sentinel  post  that  gives 
view  over  the  whole  Cajon  Valley.  It  was  a circular  en- 
closure of  stone  between  huge  boulders,  and  the  old  Indians 


112  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


have  told  me  it  was  constantly  used  for  years  on  account 
of  the  hostile  tendencies  of  the  mountain  Indians. 

Considerable  excitement  was  caused  in  1803  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  44  Lelia  Byrd,”  Captain  Cleveland,  which 
tried  to  do  some  illegal  bargaining  for  otter-skins,  trade 
in  which  was  absolutely  forbidden  by  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment. Cleveland  had  learned  that  some  of  the  soldiers  had 
skins  to  sell  if  they  could  dispose  of  them  secretly;  so  in 
the  night  two  boats  were  sent  off.  One  came  back  in  due 
time  with  a few  skins ; the  other  was  captured  and  its  men 
made  prisoners.  Next  morning  Cleveland  went  ashore  with 
four  men,  rescued  the  captives,  returned  to  his  vessel,  and 
then,  setting  sail,  attempted  to  run  out  past  the  guns  of 
the  fort.  It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  when  the  com- 
mandant came  on  board  to  investigate  the  reason  for  the 
visit  of  Cleveland  he  left  a sergeant  and  five  men  on  board 
as  a guard.  These  men  were  made  to  occupy  as  conspicu- 
ous a position  on  the  fleeing  vessel  as  possible,  but  this  did 
not  prevent  the  officers  at  the  fort  from  sending  several 
well-directed  shot  at  the  vessel,  one  of  which  made  an  ugly 
hole  just  above  the  water  line.  But  she  made  her  escape, 
after  landing  the  six  Spaniards.  One  amusing  sequence  to 
the  affair  was  the  overhauling  of  one  of  the  corporals  and 
his  men  for  their  share  in  the  trading.  They  were  com- 
pelled to  give  up  the  goods  they  had  received  for  their 
contraband  otter-skins,  and  they  were  eventually  sold  at 
auction  for  $212,  the  proceeds  of  which  were  divided  among 
the  men  who  made  the  capture  of  the  sailors  of  Cleveland’s 
boat. 

May  25,  1803,  an  earthquake  slightly  damaged  the 
Mission  church,  and  then,  or  later,  a new  church  was  begun. 
It  was  finished  and  dedicated  on  San  Diego’s  day,  Novem- 
ber 12,  1813. 

In  1824  San  Diego  registered  its  largest  population, 
being  then  1829. 

When  Spanish  rule  ended,  and  the  Mexican  empire  and 


SAN  DIEGO  DE  ALCALA 


113 

republic  sent  its  first  governor,  Echeandfa,  he  decided  to 
make  San  Diego  his  home;  so  for  the  period  of  his  gover- 
norship, though  he  doubtless  lived  at  or  near  the  presidio, 
the  Mission  saw  more  or  less  of  him.  As  is  shown  in  the 
chapter  on  secularization,  he  was  engaged  in  a thankless 
task  when  he  sought  to  change  the  Mission  system,  and 
there  was  no  love  lost  between  the  Governor’s  house  and  the 
Mission. 

In  1833,  from  February  to  June,  there  was  considerable 
excitement  caused  by  a rumor  that  Indians  in  El  Cajon 
were  to  gather  together  and  make  an  onslaught  upon  the 
Mission.  A small  force  was  sent  out  to  capture  the  chief, 
Tajochi,  and  other  ringleaders.  He  was  sentenced  to  two 
years  of  public  work,  and  three  of  his  associates  received 
shorter  sentences. 

In  1833  Governor  Figueroa  visited  San  Diego  Mission 
in  person,  in  order  to  exhort  the  neophytes  to  seize  the 
advantages  of  citizenship  which  the  new  secularization 
regulations  were  to  give  to  them ; but,  though  they  heard 
him  patiently,  and  there  and  at  San  Luis  Rey  one  hundred 
and  sixty  families  were  found  to  be  duly  qualified  for 
“ freedom,”  only  ten  could  be  found  to  accept  it.  Neverthe- 
less he  appointed  Captain  Argiiello  as  comisionado  to 
carry  out  the  new  law,  though  the  Mission  itself  was  not 
formally  secularized  until  1834.  In  April  of  that  year 
Joaquin  Ortega  became  the  majordomo.  How  many  In- 
dians were  allotted  lands  we  do  not  know,  though  the  pueblo 
of  San  Pascual,  with  thirty-four  families,  was  in  existence 
in  November.  These  were  doubtless  San  Diego  neophytes. 
But  the  decline  of  the  Mission  had  begun.  Though  in 
November,  1835,  the  decree  was  issued  that  the  temporal 
control  should  be  restored  to  the  padres,  nothing  seems  to 
have  been  done. 

In  1836  complaints  were  frequent  and  loud  against  the 
Indians,  and  the  citizens  made  several  expeditions  against 
them,  in  one  of  which  seven  Indians  were  killed.  In  April 

8 


114  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 

* 

or  May  of  1837  the  Indians  made  a raid  on  the  frontier 
ranchos,  and  at  Jamul  several  whites  were  killed,  and  the 
majordomo’s  two  grown-up  daughters  were  carried  away 
into  captivity,  from  which  they  were  never  released.  The 
San  Diegans  were  in  great  terror,  but  protection  was 
afforded  by  the  ship  “ Alert 99 ; and  later,  Juan  Bandini, 
whose  rancho  of  Tecate  was  one  of  the  plundered,  returned 
from  Los  Angeles,  marched  against  the  foe,  and  in  a cam- 
paign of  ten  days  is  said  to  have  killed  several  Indians,  — 
all  he  could  find.  Thus  already  the  work  of  the  demoral- 
ization and  destruction  of  the  Indians  had  begun,  as  the 
result  of  the  secularization  plans.  Another  excitement  in 
1 837  was  caused  by  the  rumor  of  a plot  to  attack  the  town 
and  kill  all  the  Spanish  inhabitants.  Indian  servants  were 
to  co-operate  by  opening  doors,  but  one  of  them  revealed 
the  plot,  and  three  out  of  the  dozen  servants  were  immedi- 
ately arrested  and  shot. 

December  11,  1841,  saw  the  arrival  of  the  newly  ap- 
pointed Bishop  of  California.  Garcia  Diego  was  the  pre- 
fect of  the  band  of  Zacatecanos  who,  it  will  be  remembered, 
came  to  take  charge  of  the  seven  northern  Missions  in 
1833.  When  secularization  made  parishes  of  the  Missions, 
even  the  politicians  saw  that  it  was  no  longer  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  the  ecclesiastical  affairs  of  California  could 
be  administered  by  the  bishop  in  Sonora;  so  Diego  was 
appointed,  with  a large  salary  (on  paper)  and  control  of 
the  Pious  Fund. 

On  the  29th  of  March,  1843,  Governor  Micheltorena 
issued  a decree  which  restored  San  Diego  Mission  tempo- 
ralities to  the  management  of  the  padre.  He  explained  in 
his  prelude  that  the  decree  was  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
Mission  establishments  had  been  reduced  to  the  mere  space 
occupied  by  the  buildings  and  orchards,  that  the  padres 
had  no  support  but  that  of  charity,  etc.  Mofras  gives  the 
number  of  Indians  in  1842  as  500,  but  an  official  report  of 
1844  gives  only  100.  The  Mission  retained  the  ranchos  of 


SAN  DIEGO  DE  ALCALA 


115 


Santa  Isabel  and  El  Cajon  until  1844-45,  and  then,  doubt- 
less, they  were  sold  or  rented  in  accordance  with  the  plans 
of  Pio  Pico. 

In  1852  Bartlett  visited  San  Diego  Mission.  He  says : 

“ It  is  a spot  possessing  great  picturesque  beauty,  and  sur- 
rounded by  fertile  and  well  watered  lands.  It  was  the  last  of 
the  California  Missions  that  was  abandoned ; and  but  five  years 
ago  its  ancient  library  and  its  priest  still  remained.  The  build- 
ings, which  are  of  adobe,  are  not  extensive,  but  are  in  good  pres- 
ervation. The  Mission  is  at  present  occupied  by  United  States 
troops,  under  the  command  of  Col.  J.  B.  Magruder,  and  in 
consequence  is  kept  in  good  repair.” 

To-day  nothing  but  the  fachada  of  the  church  remains, 
and  that  has  recently  been  braced  or  it  would  have  fallen. 
The  photograph  shows  its  condition  in  1904.  There  are 
a few  portions  of  walls  also,  and  a large  part  of  the  adobe 
wall  around  the  garden  remains.  The  present  owner  of 
the  orchard,  in  digging  up  some  of  the  old  olive  trees,  has 
found  a number  of  interesting  relics:  stirrups,  a gun- 
barrel,  hollow  iron  cannon-balls,  metates,  etc.  These  are 
all  preserved  and  shown  as  “ curios,”  together  with  beams 
from  the  church,  and  the  old  olive-mill.  Carter  says : 

“ In  this  orchard  is  an  old  abandoned  well,  and  from  it,  tradi- 
tion affirms,  is  an  underground  passage  leading  to  the  Mission. 
This  was  used  when  the  padres  and  their  company  were  besieged, 
at  various  times,  by  the  Indians.  Whether  there  be  such  a pas- 
sage, no  one  knows  for  a certainty ; but  it  seems  more  than 
likely,  for  there  are  remains  of  some  sort  of  a passage  to  be  seen 
in  the  well,  a few  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground,  which 
has  been  explored  for  a short  distance,  where  the  way  was  found 
to  be  caved  in  and  blocked.” 

Instead  of  being  an  underground  passage,  it  may  be  that 
this  is  one  of  the  vaults  for  storing  tallow,  of  which,  as 
I have  elsewhere  shown,  the  Missions  made  great  quantities. 

By  the  side  of  the  ruined  church  a newer  and  modern 


116  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


brick  building  now  stands.  It  destroys  the  picturesqueness 
of  the  old  site,  but  it  is  engaged  in  a good  work.  Father 
Ubach,  the  indefatigable  parish  priest  of  San  Diego,  is 
possessed  with  much  of  the  spirit  of  the  old  padres,  and  he 
it  is  who  has  erected  this  building  for  the  training  of  the 
Indian  children  of  the  region.  On  one  occasion  I asked 
the  children  if  they  knew  any  of  the  “ songs  of  the  old,”  the 
songs  their  Indian  grandparents  used  to  sing;  and  to  my 
delight,  they  sang  two  or  three  of  the  old  chorals  taught 
their  ancestors  in  the  early  Mission  days  by  the  padres. 


SAN  CARLOS  BORROMEO 


117 


CHAPTER  VII 

SAN  CARLOS  BORROMEO 

* 

A BRIEF  account  of  the  founding  of  San  Carlos  at 
Monterey,  June  3,  1770,  was  given  in  an  earlier 
chapter.  What  joy  the  discovery  of  the  harbor 
and  founding  of  the  Mission  caused  in  Mexico  and  Spain 
can  be  understood  when  it  is  remembered  that  for  two  cen- 
turies this  thing  had  been  desired.  In  the  Mexican  city  the 
bells  of  the  Cathedral  rang  forth  merry  peals  as  on  special 
festival  days,  and  a solemn  mass  of  thanksgiving  was  held, 
at  which  all  the  city  officials  and  dignitaries  were  present. 
A full  account  of  the  event  was  printed  and  distributed 
there  and  in  Spain,  so  that,  for  a time  at  least,  California 
occupied  a large  share  of  public  attention. 

Padre  Crespf  reports  an  interesting  event  in  connection 
with  the  second  expedition,  that  found  the  Bay  of  Mon- 
terey. He  says: 

“ After  a journey  of  three  leagues,  we  arrived  at  one  of  the 
salty  lagunas  of  Punta  Pinos,  where  a cross  had  been  erected. 
Before  alighting  from  our  horses,  the  Governor,  a soldier,  and 
myself  approached  the  cross,  seeking  to  discover  some  signs  of 
the  expedition  which  had  set  out  for  water,  but  we  found  none. 
The  cross  was  surrounded  by  arrows,  and  little  rods  tipped  with 
feathers,  which  had  been  set  in  the  ground  by  Indians ; sus- 
pended from  a stick,  at  one  side  of  the  cross,  was  a string  of 
half-spoiled  sardines,  a pile  of  mussels,  and  a piece  of  meat. 
This  astonished  us  not  a little ; but  we  failed  to  comprehend  the 
significance  of  it ; however,  as  soon  as  the  neophytes  were 
capable  of  expressing  themselves  in  Spanish,  they  assured  us 
that  the  first  time  they  saw  the  Spaniards,  their  attention  was 
attracted  by  a beautiful  shining  cross  which  each  one  wore  on 


118  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


his  breast ; that  when  they  departed  they  left  on  the  shore  this 
large  cross,  which  seemed  at  night  to  almost  touch  the  sky,  and 
was  surrounded  with  rays  of  heavenly  light ; but  in  the  daytime, 
seeing  it  in  its  usual  proportions,  and,  to  propitiate  it,  they  had 
offered  it  flesh-meat  and  fish  ; observing  that  it  partook  not  of 
their  feast,  they  presented  arrows  and  feathers,  as  a token  that 
they  were  at  peace  with  the  holy  cross,  and  with  those  who  had 
planted  it.” 

The  result  of  the  news  of  the  founding  of  San  Carlos 
was  that  all  were  enthused  for  further  extension  of  the 
Missions.  The  indefatigable  Galvez  at  once  determined 
that  five  new  Missions  should  be  founded,  and  the  Guardian 
of  the  Franciscan  College  was  asked  for,  and  agreed  to 
send,  ten  more  missionaries  for  the  new  establishments, 
as  well  as  twenty  for  the  old  and  new  Missions  on  the 
peninsula. 

Prior  to  the  arrival  of  these  missionaries  Serra  was  not 
inactive.  He  soon  decided,  after  a careful  survey  of  the 
country,  that  the  location  of  the  Monterey  Mission  could 
be  bettered.  Look  at  him ! The  old  priest,  with  a lame  leg, 
on  foot,  garbed  in  his  long  gray  gown,  tramping  over  the 
hills  around  Monterey,  seeking  for  a new  site.  It  is  a pic- 
ture to  arouse  the  lazy  blood  of  some  of  us  to-day  who 
would  never  think  of  walking  from  Hotel  del  Monte  to  the 
Carmelo  Valley.  Religious  zeal  is  indeed  a great  incite- 
ment to  labor.  When  the  permission  was  duly  given,  Serra 
set  to  work  at  his  new  site  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Carmelo. 
There  he  left  three  sailors  and  forty  Indians  (Bancroft 
says  four)  from  the  peninsula,  at  work  cutting  timber, 
while  five  soldiers  looked  on  and  lent  occasional  assistance. 
Travelling  overland,  he  established  the  Mission  of  San 
Antonio  de  Padua,  and  then  returned;  and  after  several 
months  of  labor  in  preparing  the  new  buildings,  the  formal 
transfer  took  place  in  December  of  1771.  Palou  says  that 
during  this  time  “ his  dwelling  was  a poor  hut.  He  erected 
a large  cross,  which  he  visited  and  venerated  at  an  early 


SAN  CARLOS  BORROMEO 


119 


hour  every  morning;  here  too  the  soldiers  would  assemble 
and  sing  an  alabado  or  hymn ; then,  after  matins  and 
prime,  Padre  Junipero  would  offer  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the 
mass,  at  which  the  soldiers  and  servants  attended  with 
great  devotion.  Then  all  commenced  to  labor,  Junipero 
everywhere  directing.  Often  during  the  day  he  would 
cease  his  labors,  venerate  the  cross,  and  recite  his  rosary, 
this  being  the  only  recreation  he  allowed  himself.  The 
Indians  visited  him  daily,  and  he  delighted  them  by  offering 
them  strings  of  beads  and  little  trinkets ; afterwards  he 
made  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  their  foreheads,  and  accus- 
tomed them  to  kiss  that  holy  emblem.  He  also  tried  to  pick 
up  a few  words  of  their  language;  he  taught  them  to 
salute  one  another  by  saying : 4 Amar  a Dios,’  4 to  love 
God ; 9 and  this  custom  became  so  general  that  it  was 
adopted  even  by  the  Indians,  who  would  thus  salute  the 
Spaniards  when  they  met.” 

Thus  did  the  zealous  Junipero  in  his  desire  to  win  the 
heathen  to  the  Cross. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  1773  Serra  made  his  report  to 
Mexico,  and  then  it  was  found  that  there  were  more  con- 
verts at  San  Carlos  than  at  any  other  Mission.  Three 
Spanish  soldiers  had  married  native  women.  The  buildings 
are  thus  described,  according  to  Bancroft: 

“ A line  of  high  strong  posts,  set  in  the  ground  close  together, 
encloses  the  rectangular  space  which  contains  the  simple  wrooden 
buildings  serving  as  church  and  dwellings,  the  walls  of  which 
also  in  most  instances  take  the  stockade  form.  At  San  Carlos 
the  rectangle  is  seventy  yards  long  and  forty-three  wide,  with 
ravelins  at  the  corners.  For  want  of  nails  the  upright  palisades 
are  not  secured  at  the  top,  and  the  ease  with  which  they  can  be 
moved  renders  the  strong  gate  locked  at  night  an  unnecessary 
precaution.  Within,  the  chief  building,  also  of  palisade  walls 
plastered  inside  and  out  with  mud  or  clay,  is  seven  by  fifty 
yards  and  divided  into  six  rooms.  One  room  serves  as  a church, 
another  as  the  minister’s  dwelling,  and  another  as  a storehouse. 


120  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


the  best  rooms  being  whitewashed  with  lime.  This  building  is 
roofed  with  mud,  supported  by  horizontal  timbers.  A slighter 
structure  used  as  a kitchen  is  roofed  with  grass.  The  quarters 
of  the  soldiers  are  distinct  from  the  mission  and  are  enclosed 
by  a separate  palisade,  while  outside  of  both  enclosures  are  the 
simple  huts  of  the  rancheria.” 

A little  later,  as  the  mud  roofs  were  not  successful  in 
keeping  out  the  winter  rains,  a new  church  was  built,  partly 
of  rough  and  partly  of  worked  lumber,  and  roofed  with 
tules.  The  lumber  used  was  the  pine  and  cypress  for  which 
the  region  is  still  noted. 

There  was  little  agriculture,  only  five  fanegas  of  wheat 
being  harvested  in  1772.  Each  Mission  received  eighteen 
head  of  horned  cattle  at  its  founding,  and  San  Carlos 
reported  a healthy  increase. 

In  1772  Serra  left  for  Mexico,  to  lay  matters  from  the 
missionary  standpoint  before  the  new  viceroy,  Bucareli. 
He  arrived  in  the  City  of  Mexico  in  February,  1773.  With 
resistless  energy  and  eloquence  he  pleaded  for  the  preser- 
vation of  the  shipyard  of  San  Bias,  the  removal  of  Fages, 
some  of  whose  irritations  I have  elsewhere  referred  to,  the 
correction  of  certain  abuses  that  had  arisen  as  the  result 
of  Fages’s  actions,  and  for  further  funds,  soldiers,  etc.,  to 
prosecute  the  work  of  founding  more  Missions.  In  all  the 
main  points  his  mission  was  successful.  Captain  Rivera  y 
Moncada,  with  whose  march  from  the  peninsula  we  are 
already  familiar,  was  appointed  governor;  and  at  the 
same  time  that  he  received  his  instructions,  August  17, 
1773,  Captain  Juan  Bautista  de  Anza  was  authorized  to 
attempt  the  overland  journey  from  Sonora  to  Monterey. 
Full  particulars  of  this  and  subsequent  trips  over  the 
sandy  deserts  of  Arizona  will  be  given  in  the  companion 
volume  to  this. 

Here,  then,  were  three  parties  starting  from  Mexico  to 
California  at  about  the  same  time:  Serra,  Rivera,  and 
Anza.  They  all  arrived  in  due  course,  — Anza  at  San 


SAN  CARLOS  BORROMEO 


121 


Gabriel,  March  22,  Serra  at  Monterey,  May  9,  and  Rivera 
at  Monterey,  May  23,  1774. 

Successful  in  his  first  trip,  Anza  returned  to  Mexico  to 
report  to  the  Viceroy,  who  immediately  gave  him  orders  to 
prepare  for  a second.  He  was  to  recruit  soldiers  and  set- 
tlers for  a new  presidio  to  be  established  at  San  Francisco, 
and  two  new  Missions  on  the  Colorado  River,  the  latter  be- 
ing deemed  a necessary  step  towards  making  the  route 
overland  across  Arizona  practical.  In  the  chapter  on  San 
Francisco  full  particulars  of  this  expedition  will  be  given. 

The  Colorado  River  Missions  were  duly  established,  at- 
tacked, and  destroyed,  with  much  loss  of  life,  as  elsewhere 
recorded.  But  prior  to  this,  Anza  had  met  Rivera  at  San 
Gabriel,  had  gone  to  San  Diego  to  help  suppress  the  re- 
bellion there,  and  had  met  Serra  at  Monterey,  where  a 
special  service  of  thanksgiving  was  held.  San  Francisco, 
was  duly  founded,  and  Anza  returned  to  Sonora,  and 
Rivera  to  the  Colorado  River,  where  his  murder  by  the 
Indians  took  place  a little  later. 

It  should  not  be  overlooked  that,  prior  to  the  arrival  of 
Anza,  the  viceroy  wrote  both  to  Serra  and  Rivera  of  his 
intention  to  found  a new  presidio  at  San  Francisco.  He 
required  Lieutenant  Ayala  to  explore  the  bay  to  find  out 
whether  the  mouth  seen  by  Fages  three  years  before  was  a 
navigable  entrance,  and  also  to  learn  whether  the  bay  was 
suitable  for  a port.  As  Ayala  had  no  boat  he  set  to  work 
to  make  a cayuco , or  dugout,  from  the  trunk  of  a redwood, 
on  the  shores  of  the  Carmelo  River,  doubtless  availing  him- 
self of  the  Indians  there,  who  were  experts  in  such  work. 
This  canoe,  after  serving  its  purpose,  was  finally  wrecked 
on  the  beach  below  thje  cliff,  where  it  was  stranded  after 
breaking  loose  from  its  moorings. 

In  1776  Serra’s  heart  was  joyed  with  the  thought  that 
he  was  to  wear  a martyr’s  crown,  for  there  was  a rumor  of 
an  Indian  uprising  at  San  Carlos ; but  the  presence  of 
troops  sent  over  from  Monterey  seemed  to  end  the  trouble. 


122  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


In  July,  1776,  Felipe  de  Neve,  who,  since  March,  1775, 
had  been  governing  the  Calif ornias  at  Loreto,  was  ordered 
to  transfer  his  capital  to  Monterey.  Already  the  impor- 
tance of  the  new  California  was  beginning  to  shadow  the 
old.  Rivera  was  to  become  lieutenant-governor  and  rule 
Lower  California.  But  another  power  than  that  of  king 
and  viceroy  was  directing  his  affairs,  and  he  did  not  live  to 
assume  his  office.  Neve,  however,  arrived  at  Monterey  on 
the  3d  of  February,  1777.  It  was  not  long  before  Neve 
and  Serra  were  at  loggerheads  on  matters  pertaining  to 
the  Church.  Serra  received  a patent  in  1778,  entitling  him 
to  perform  the  sacred  rite  of  confirmation,  — a rite  gen- 
erally reserved  to  no  office  lower  than  that  of  bishop.  Serra 
was  not  a bishop;  the  nearest  bishop  to  California  was 
thousands  of  miles  away.  To  overcome  the  difficulty  the 
Holy  Father  in  Rome  authorized  this  special  patent.  In 
1779  Neve,  as  the  representative  of  the  Crown  of  Spain, 
called  upon  him  for  his  authority  for  the  exercise  of  the 
office.  The  quarrel  was  long  and  severe,  and,  as  might  have 
been  foreseen,  ultimated  in  Neve  receiving  orders  to  refrain 
from  interference  with  Serra. 

In  1779  a maritime  event  of  importance  occurred.  The 
padres  at  San  Carlos  and  the  soldiers  at  Monterey  saw  a 
galleon  come  into  the  bay,  which  proved  to  be  the  “ San 
Jose,”  from  Manila.  It  should  have  remained  awhile,  but 
contrary  winds  arose,  and  it  sailed  away  for  San  Lucas. 
But  the  King  later  issued  orders  that  all  Manila  galleons 
must  call  at  Monterey,  under  a penalty  of  four  thousand 
dollars,  unless  prevented  by  stress  of  weather. 

This  same  year  Serra  chose  two  each,  alcaldes  and  regi- 
dores,  from  the  Indian  neophytes  to  aid  in  the  administra- 
tion of  justice  at  San  Carlos.  Great  improvements  had 
been  made  at  the  presidio  at  Monterey,  and  at  the  Mission 
things  were  slowly  improving.  For  the  next  two  or  three 
years  there  was  much  working  at  cross  purposes  between 
Serra  and  Neve,  the  latter  wanting  new  Missions  to  be 


SAN  CARLOS  BORROMEO 


123 


established  on  the  plan  which  had  proven  so  disastrous  on 
the  Colorado  River;  but  in  1782,  while  Neve  and  his  lieu- 
tenant, Fages,  were  near  Yunna  on  a campaign  against 
the  Indians,  orders  came  appointing  Neve  to  a higher  office 
in  Mexico,  and  making  Fages  governor  of  California. 
Fages  and  Serra  had  never  agreed  when  Fages  held  the 
office  before,  but  as  he  showed  a better  disposition  than 
heretofore,  it  was  hoped  that  all  would  prove  for  the  best. 

In  1784,  however,  Serra  was  called  upon  to  lay  down  all 
earthly  burdens  and  receive  his  heavenly  reward.  His 
personal  work  was  ended.  The  year  before  his  beloved  co- 
worker and  friend,  Padre  Crespf,  had  died.  Crespf  had 
aided  Serra  in  the  founding  of  San  Carlos,  and  for  some 
time  had  worked  there.  In  1781  the  two  had  journeyed 
together  to  visit  San  Francisco  and  Santa  Clara,  and  it 
was  on  their  return  that  he  was  taken  with  his  fatal  illness. 
Serra  himself  administered  the  last  rites  to  his  friend  when 
he  died,  January  1.  He  was  buried  in  the  church  at  San 
Carlos,  on  the  gospel  side  of  the  sanctuary.  Now  Serra’s 
own  end  had  come.  August  28  he  passed  away  so  quietly 
that  all  thought  he  was  sleeping.  He  was  buried,  as  was 
his  expressed  wish,  by  the  side  of  Crespf,  in  the  sanctuary 
at  San  Carlos,  Palou  performing  the  rites. 

For  a short  time  after  Serra’s  death  the  duties  of  padre 
presidente  fell  upon  Palou;  but  in  February,  1785,  the 
college  of  San  Fernando  elected  Lasuen  to  the  office,  and 
thereafter  he  resided  mainly  at  San  Carlos. 

September  14,  1786,  the  eminent  French  navigator, 
Jean  Francis  Galaup  de  la  Perouse,  with  two  vessels,  ap- 
peared at  Monterey,  and  the  Frenchman  gives  us  a vivid 
picture  of  his  reception  at  the  Mission  of  San  Carlos  that 
is  worth  transcribing. 

“The  padres  of  San  Carlos  Mission,  two  leagues  from  Monterey, 
soon  came  to  the  presidio ; as  kind  to  us  as  the  officers  of  fort 
and  frigates  they  insisted  on  our  going  to  dine  with  them,  and 
promised  to  acquaint  us  in  detail  with  the  management  of  their 


124  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


mission,  the  Indian  manner  of  living,  their  arts  and  customs,  in 
fact  all  that  might  interest  travellers.  We  accepted  with  eager- 
ness . . . M.  Fages  wished  to  accompany  us.  . . . After  having 
crossed  a little  plain  covered  with  herds  of  cattle  . . . we  as- 
cended the  hills  and  heard  the  sound  of  bells  announcing  our 
coming.  We  were  received  like  lords  of  a parish  visiting  their 
estates  for  the  first  time.  The  president  of  the  missions,  clad  in 
cope,  his  holy-water  sprinkler  in  hand,  received  us  at  the  door  of 
the  church  illuminated  as  on  the  grandest  festivals ; led  us  to 
the  foot  of  the  altar ; and  chanted  a Te  Deum  of  thanksgiving 
for  the  happy  issue  of  our  voyage.  Before  entering  the  church 
we  had  crossed  a plaza  where  Indians  of  both  sexes  were  ranged 
in  line ; their  faces  showed  no  surprise  and  left  room  for  doubt 
if  we  should  be  the  subject  of  their  conversation  for  the  rest  of 
the  day.” 

After  leaving  the  church  the  visitors  spent  a short  time 
in  examining  the  Mission  and  in  making  a careful,  though 
necessarily  brief,  study  of  the  Franciscan  regime  and  its 
effects  upon  the  natives.  They  probably  visited  San  Carlos 
more  than  once. 

La  Perouse’s  companion,  M.  de  Langle,  presented  San 
Carlos  with  a hand-mill  for  grinding  wheat,  which  would 
enable  four  of  the  neophyte  women  to  do  the  work  of  a 
hundred  in  the  old  way;  but  it  is  very  doubtful  whether 
they  used  it  long. 

In  1791  Fages  retired  from  the  governorship  with 
honors,  and  Jose  Antonio  Romeu  was  named  his  successor. 
He  arrived  at  Monterey  in  ill-health,  October  13,  and  on 
April  9,  1792,  he  passed  away,  and  was  buried  at  San 
Carlos  the  next  day.  The  Lieutenant-Governor  Arrillaga 
was  thereupon  called  up  from  Loreto  to  act  as  temporary 
governor  until  a new  appointment  was  made.  He  reached 
Monterey  early  in  July,  1793. 

In  the  meantime  the  English  navigator,  Vancouver,  had 
visited  San  Francisco,  and  Santa  Clara,  and  San  Carlos. 
Lasuen  had  entertained  him  as  hospitably  as  he  did  La 
Perouse  six  years  before.  The  natives  gave  an  exhibition 


Plate  XXII 


RUINED  CORRIDORS  AT  SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PADUA 


SAN  CARLOS  BORROMEO 


125 


of  their  skill  in  killing  deer  by  stratagem,  and  there  was 
a grand  dinner  at  the  presidio,  and  even  fireworks.  The 
governor,  on  his  arrival,  was  much  chagrined  at  the  fact 
that  Vancouver  had  been  allowed  to  discover  the  weakness 
of  the  Spanish  defences  in  California,  and  he  administered 
a general  rebuke  to  his  officers.  Consequently,  when  Van- 
couver returned  at  the  end  of  1793  he  was  not  received  so 
warmly,  though  it  was  only  by  contrast  with  his  former 
reception  that  he  could  have  justly  made  any  complaint. 
But  before  he  sailed  away,  the  British  captain  gave  to 
Padre  Lasuen  a handsome  barrel-organ  as  a gift  for  San 
Carlos.  There  is  such  an  organ  at  San  Juan  Bautista  as 
is  recorded  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  that  Mission,  and  it 
may  be  that  it  is  the  very  one  thus  contributed. 

On  his  second  visit  he  went  to  San  Carlos  (Sunday,  De- 
cember 2,  1792),  and  while  he  gives  no  detailed  description, 
he  presents  a drawing  which  shows  four  buildings  irregu- 
larly arranged  and  partially  enclosing  a square.  From 
this  picture  Bancroft  makes  up  the  following  description: 

“ The  old  church,  partly  thatched  and  partly  tiled,  stands  on 
the  left  of  the  picture,  and  probably  on  the  west  side  of  the 
square.  Three  bells  hang  on  a frame  raised  on  a stone  founda- 
tion ; a lofty  cross,  bearing  a close  resemblance  to  a modem 
telegraph-pole,  rears  its  head  near  the  centre  of  the  plaza,  and 
just  beyond,  almost  in  contact  with,  and  apparently  northeast- 
ward from  the  old  church,  are  the  rising  stone  walls  of  a new 
one.  Beyond,  on  an  eminence,  may  be  seen  a corral  for  cattle, 
while  at  the  right  are  the  conical  huts  of  the  neophytes.  The 
new  church  was  being  built  of  a soft,  straw-colored  stone,  which 
was  said  to  harden  on  exposure  to  the  air.  The  lime  used  was 
made  from  sea-shells.  This  church,  the  ruins  of  which  are  still 
to  be  seen  on  the  banks  of  the  Carmelo,  was  completed  and 
dedicated  in  September  1797/' 

While  the  description  thus  given  shows  the  new  church, 
it  is  possible  it  was  not  added  in  his  drawing  until  his  third 
visit,  which  occurred  in  1794,  for  Padre  Lasuen  states  that 


126  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


the  first  stone  was  laid  July  7,  1793,  a year  after  Van- 
couver’s visit. 

The  troubles  in  Europe  caused  by  Napoleon  sent  a tiny 
ripple  which  was  felt  at  Monterey;  but  his  act  in  placing 
his  brother  Joseph  on  the  throne  of  Spain  was  never  recog- 
nized. On  March  5,  1809,  Ferdinand  the  Seventh  was  duly 
hailed  as  “ Our  king  and  natural  lord,”  and  on  the  10th  of 
August  Governor  Arrillaga  swore  loyalty  to  him  before 
President  Tapis  (who  had  taken  the  place  of  the  deceased 
Lasuen)  in  the  church  at  San  Carlos. 

In  1810  Spanish  South  America  began  to  revolt  against 
Spanish  rule.  In  1818  Monterey  and  California  generally 
felt  a wave  from  this  sea  of  revolt  in  the  coming  of  Captain 
Bouchard,  who  professed  to  be  waging  war  against  Spain 
and  her  possessions  in  the  interests  of  the  South  American 
insurgents.  October  6,  1818,  the  American  brig  66  Clar- 
ion ” arrived  at  Santa  Barbara,  and  alarmed  the  command- 
ante,  Guerra,  by  telling  him  that  two  vessels  were  outfitting 
at  the  Hawaiian  Islands  for  the  devastation  of  the  Califor- 
nia settlements.  Immediately  Guerra  sent  warnings  north 
and  south,  which,  when  received  by  Governor  Sola,  led  that 
active  official  to  issue  most  explicit  instructions  to  all  the 
various  officials  and  the  padres  at  the  Missions,  as  to  what 
they  were  to  do  if  the  enemy  actually  hove  in  sight.  A 
month  passed,  and  the  people  had  begun  to  forget  their 
fears,  when,  on  the  afternoon  of  November  20,  the  sen- 
tinel on  Point  Pinos  reported  two  vessels  in  sight  approach- 
ing Monterey.  On  their  arrival  and  anchoring  there  were 
parleyings  and  evasions,  and  finally  next  morning  a con- 
flict resulted,  in  which  the  insurgents  lost  several  men. 
Bouchard  then  made  a demand  for  the  immediate  surrender 
of  the  province,  which  Sola  indignantly  refused.  Then 
followed  the  landing  of  four  hundred  men  with  four  field 
pieces,  and  as  Sola  had  only  twenty-five  men  to  oppose  it, 
he  ordered  his  guns  spiked  and  beat  a retreat,  taking 
everything  he  could  with  him  to  the  rancho  del  rey,  where 


SAN  CARLOS  BORROMEO 


127 


Salinas  City  now  stands.  The  insurgents  set  the  presidio 
and  fort  on  fire,  and  destroyed  supplies  to  the  value  of 
$5000,  and  also  took  private  property  of  the  officers  to  the 
same  value.  The  orchard  and  garden  were  entirely  ruined. 
Possibly  they  did  not  go  over  to  San  Carlos  Mission,  for 
nothing  there  was  injured.  They  sailed  away  November 
26,  or  early  in  the  morning  of  November  27,  and  we  shall 
hear  further  from  them  at  several  of  the  other  Missions. 

In  due  time  the  officials  and  people  returned,  and  by 
April,  1819,  possibly  earlier,  Monterey  had  resumed  its 
old-time  aspect. 

About  this  time  the  chapel  adjoining  the  church,  on  the 
south  side,  in  honor  of  the  “ pasion  del  senor,”  was  erected, 
though  the  exact  date  of  its  dedication  is  not  known. 

San  Carlos  felt  the  troubles  of  the  Mexican  revolution 
somewhat,  in  that  Prefect  Sarria  was  regarded  as  under 
arrest  for  some  time  as  a recalcitrant  Spaniard.  In  1830 
the  report  shows  that  it  was  rapidly  declining  in  Indian 
population.  In  1833  the  Zacatecan  padre,  Jose  Maria  del 
Refugia  Sagrado  Suarez  del  Real,  took  the  place  of  the 
Franciscan  Abella.  In  1834-35  the  Mission  was  secular- 
ized, Joaquin  Gomez  being  appointed  commissioner,  and 
succeeded  by  Jose  Antonio  Romero  as  majordomo.  The 
spoliation  was  rapid:  there  being  little  property  left  in 
1834,  and  none  at  all  but  the  ruined  buildings  in  1840. 
At  the  time  of  secularization  Serra’s  army  of  converts  had 
dwindled  down  to  150,  and  at  the  end  of  the  decade  there 
were  only  about  30  left,  with  perhaps  50  more  out  at  ser- 
vice at  the  ranches  and  in  the  town. 

When  Pico  issued  his  decrees  in  1845  San  Carlos  was  re- 
garded as  a pueblo,  or  abandoned  Mission,  Padre  Real 
residing  at  Monterey  and  only  holding  services  occasion- 
ally. The  little  property  that  remained  was  to  be  sold  at 
auction  for  the  payment  of  debts  and  the  support  of  wor- 
ship, but  there  is  no  record  of  property,,  debts,  or  sale.  The 
glory  of  San  Carlos  was  departed. 


128  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


For  many  years  no  one  cared  for  the  buildirtg,  and  it 
was  left  entirely  to  the  mercy  of  the  vandal  and  relic 
hunter.  In  1852  the  tiled  roof  fell  in,  and  all  the  tiles 
save  about  1000  were  either  then  broken,  or  afterwards 
stolen.  The  rains  and  storms  beating  in  soon  brought 
enough  sand  to  form  a lodgment  for  seeds,  and  ere  long 
a dense  growth  of  grass  and  weeds  overgrew  the  dust  of 
California’s  great  apostle. 

In  “ Glimpses  of  California,”  by  “ H.  H.,”  Mr.  Sand- 
ham,  the  artist,  has  a picture  which  well  illustrates  the 
original  spring  of  the  roof  and  curve  of  the  walls.  There 
were  three  buttresses,  from  which  sprang  the  roof  arches. 
The  curve  of  the  walls  was  made  by  increasing  the  thickness 
at  the  top,  as  can  be  seen  from  the  window  spaces  on  each 
side,  which  still  remain  in  their  original  condition.  The 
building  is  about  150  feet  long  by  30  feet  wide. 

In  1868  Rev.  Angelo  D.  Cassanova  became  the  pastor  of 
the  parish  church  at  Monterey,  and  though  Serra’s  home 
Mission  was  then  a complete  mass  of  ruins,  he  determined 
upon  at  least  its  preservation  from  further  demolition. 
The  first  step  was  to  clear  away  the  debris  that  had  accu- 
mulated since  its  abandonment,  and  then  to  locate  the 
graves  of  the  missionaries.  On  July  3,  1882,  after  due 
notice  in  the  San  Francisco  papers,  over  400  people  as- 
sembled at  San  Carlos.  There,  from  the  original  records, 
he  read  aloud  to  the  assembled  people  the  following  entries, 
both  in  the  original  Spanish,  and  then  in  English : 

“ Rev.  F.  Francisco  Lasuen,  second  President  of  the  missions  ; 
bom  in  Spain,  died  here,  and  is  buried  in  the  sanctuary,  on  the 
Gospel  side,  in  a stone  tomb  near  the  main  altar,  June  28th, 
1803.” 

Father  Cassanova  thus  describes  what  follows: 

“ The  heavy  stone  slab  having  been  removed  before  the  cere- 
mony, the  coffin  of  each  stone  tomb  or  grave  was  left  visible. 
A man  then  went  down  and  raised  the  lid  of  each  coffin.  The 


SAN  CARLOS  BORROMEO 


129 


coffins  were  simple  red  wood,  unplaned,  and  in  a good  state 
of  preservation.  The  people  all  looked  at  the  remains,  first  of 
Father  Juan  Crespi,  the  first  that  died,  then  on  the  remains  of 
Father  Junipero  Serra.  The  skeletons  were  in  a good  state,  the 
ribs  standing  out  in  proper  arch,  part  of  the  vestment  in  good 
order,  also  the  heavy  silk  stole  which  is  put  only  on  a priest,  in 
good  order  and  in  one  piece,  two  yards  and  a half  long,  with  the 
silk  fringes  to  it  as  good  as  new.  We  did  not  raise  the  coffins, 
but  only  viewed  them  and  their  contents  to  the  satisfaction  of 
all  present.  We  did  the  same  to  the  four  corpses  ; anything 
more  would  have  been  improper,  especially  as  the  coffin  of  the 
last  buried,  the  Rev.  Father  Lasuen,  was  going  to  pieces.  Then 
the  tombs  were  covered  as  before  with  stone  slabs.  The  tomb 
of  Father  Junipero  Serra,  for  better  security,  was  filled  with 
earth,  so  as  to  make  it  more  difficult  for  any  vandal  to  disturb 
his  resting-place,  and  over  that  was  placed  the  stone  slab  broken 
in  four  pieces.” 

The  discovery  of  the  bodies  of  Serra,  Crespi,  Lopez,  and 
Lasuen  aroused  some  sentiment  and  interest  in  Father  Cas- 
sanova’s  plan  of  restoration ; and  as  he  had  himself  worked 
with  a devotion  that  should  have  produced  better  results, 
sufficient  aid  came  to  enable  him  to  properly  restore  and 
roof  the  building.  On  the  28th  of  August,  1884,  the  re- 
dedication took  place,  and  the  building  was  left  as  it  is 
found  to-day  (1905). 

It  is  the  earnest  desire  of  the  writer  of  these  pages  that 
all  his  readers  should  have  a share  in  completing  the  work 
Father  Cassanova  began.  The  roof  should  be  retiled  in 
the  original  style.  The  cost  of  this  will  be  about  two 
thousand  dollars.  If  each  reader  of  this  book  would  send 
a dollar  to  the  publishers,  with  the  request  that  it  be  kept 
for  this  purpose,  I am  satisfied  a tiled  roof  could  be  put 
on  before  the  end  of  1907.  And  I hereby  make  appeal  to 
that  end.  I will  undertake  to  send  an  autographed  photo- 
graph of  the  restored  and  retiled  Mission  (when  the  work 
is  done)  to  all  who  will  contribute  a dollar  for  the  purpose 
named. 


9 


130  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


In  the  architectural  chapter  certain  interesting  things 
about  San  Carlos  are  noted. 

The  old  pulpit  still  remains.  It  is  reached  by  steps  from 
the  sacristy  through  a doorway  in  the  main  side  wall.  It 
is  a small  and  unpretentious  structure  of  wood,  with  wooden 
sounding  board  above.  It  rests  upon  a solid  stone  pedes- 
tal, cut  into  appropriate  shaft  and  mouldings.  The  door 
is  of  solid  oak,  substantially  built. 

In  the  sacristy  is  a double  lavatory  of  solid  sandstone, 
hewn  and  arranged  for  flowing  water.  It  consists  of  two 
basins,  one  above  the  other,  the  latter  one  well  recessed. 
The  lower  basin  is  structurally  curved  in  front,  and  the 
whole  piece  is  of  good  and  artistic  workmanship. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  San  Carlos  there  are  enough 
residents  to  make  up  a small  congregation,  and  it  is  the 
desire  of  Father  Mestris  to  establish  a parish  there,  have 
a resident  minister,  and  thus  restore  the  old  Mission  to  its 
original  purpose. 

THE  PRESIDIO  CHURCH  AT  MONTEREY 

Before  leaving  San  Carlos  it  will  be  well  to  explain  the 
facts  in  regard  to  the  church  at  Monterey,  elsewhere  pic- 
tured in  these  pages.  Many  errors  have  been  perpetuated 
about  this  church.  It  is  not  properly  a Mission,  though 
dating  back  to  Mission  days. 

In  the  establishment  of  the  Missions,  as  has  been  shown, 
the  presidios  were  founded  to  be  a means  of  protection 
to  the  padres  in  their  work  of  civilizing  and  christianizing 
the  natives.  These  presidios  were  at  San  Diego,  Monterey, 
San  Francisco,  and  Santa  Barbara.  Each  was  supposed 
to  have  its  own  church  or  chapel,  and  the  original  inten- 
tion was  that  each  should  likewise  have  its  own  resident 
priest.  For  purposes  of  economy,  however,  this  was  not 
done,  and  the  mission  padres  were  called  upon  for  this 
service,  though  it  was  often  a source  of  disagreement 


SAN  CARLOS  BORROMEO 


131 


between  the  military  and  the  missionaries.  The  Monterey 
church  is  the  successor  to  the  old  presidio  chapel.  I have 
been  unable  to  learn  when  it  was  built,  but  about  fifty  years 
ago  Governor  Pacheco  donated  the  funds  for  its  enlarge- 
ment. The  original  building  was  extended  back  a number 
of  feet,  and  an  addition  made,  which  makes  the  church  of 
cruciform  shape,  the  original  building  being  the  long  arm 
of  the  cross.  It  is  in  the  two  walls  of  this  addition  — one 
on  the  left  and  one  on  the  right  — that  the  two  ornate 
doorways  elsewhere  presented  are  placed.  The  walls  are 
built  of  sandstone  rudely  quarried  at  the  rear  of  the 
church. 

The  view  from  this  church  is  now  destroyed  by  the  pres- 
ence immediately  before  it  of  the  school,  conducted  by  the 
sisters  of  St.  Joseph,  but  it  formerly  must  have  been  com- 
manding. It  stands  about  half  a mile  from  the  bay,  the 
deep  blue  waters  and  far-away  hills  of  the  Coast  Range, 
the  verdure-clad  sandhills  below  and  near  by,  combining 
with  the  long  stretch  of  gray  sand  of  the  beach  to  make 
an  unusually  lovely  setting  in  a country  full  of  beauty. 
To  the  left  are  the  pine-clad  hills,  and  to  the  rear  and 
beyond,  the  foothills  of  the  Gabilan  Range.  The  Mission 
faces  almost  north ; the  old  town  of  Monterey  nestles  in  the 
lower  folds  of  the  hills  which  rise  to  the  west,  on  the  point 
of  which,  nearest  to  the  sea,  the  Sloat  monument  is  slowly 
rising. 

Here  are  a large  number  of  interesting  relics  and 
memorials  of  Serra  and  the  early  Mission  days.  Some 
are  described  in  the  chapters  on  Saints,  Woodwork,  and 
Silverware. 

Another  interesting  relic  is  a reliquary  case,  made  by 
an  Indian  at  San  Carlos  to  hold  certain  valuable  relics 
which  Serra  highly  prized.  Some  of  these  are  bones  from 
the  Catacombs,  and  an  Agnus  Dei  of  wax.  Serra  himself 
wrote  the  list  of  contents  on  a slip  of  paper,  which  is  still 
intact  on  the  back  of  the  case.  This  reliquary  used  to  be 


132  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


carried  in  procession  by  Serra  on  each  4th  of  November, 
and  is  now  used  by  Father  Mestris  in  like  ceremonials. 

In  the  altar  space  or  sanctuary  are  five  chairs,  undoubt- 
edly brought  to  California  by  one  of  the  Philippine  galleons 
from  one  of  those  islands,  or  from  China.  The  bodies  are 
of  teak,  ebony,  or  iron  wood,  with  seats  of  marble,  and  with 
a disk  of  marble  in  the  back. 

In  the  sacristy  is  the  safe  in  which  Serra  used  to  keep 
the  sacred  vessels,  as  well  as  the  important  papers  con- 
nected with  his  office.  It  is  an  interesting  object,  sheeted 
with  iron,  wrapped  around  with  iron  bands  and  covered 
all  over  with  bosses.  It  is  about  three  feet  wide  and  four 
feet  high.  In  the  drawers  close  by  are  several  of  the  copes, 
stoles,  maniples,  and  other  vestments  which  were  once  used 
by  Serra  at  the  old  Mission. 


SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PADUA 


133 


CHAPTER  VIII 

SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PADUA 

THE  third  Mission  of  the  series  was  founded  in 
honor  of  San  Antonio  de  Padua,  July  14,  1771, 
by  Serra,  accompanied  by  Padres  Pieras  and 
Sitjar.  One  solitary  Indian  heard  the  dedicatory  mass,  but 
Berra’s  enthusiasm  knew  no  bounds.  He  was  assured  that 
this  “ first  fruit  of  the  wilderness  ” would  go  forth  and 
bring  many  of  his  companions  to  the  priests.  Immediately 
after  the  mass  he  hastened  to  the  Indian,  lavished  much 
attention  on  him,  and  gave  him  gifts.  That  same  day 
many  other  Indians  came  and  clearly  indicated  a desire  to 
stay  with  such  pleasant  company.  They  brought  pine- 
nuts  and  acorns,  and  the  padres  gave  them  in  exchange 
strings  of  glass  beads  of  various  colors. 

At  once  buildings  were  begun,  in  which  work  the  Indians 
engaged  with  energy,  and  soon  church  and  dwellings,  sur- 
rounded by  a palisade,  were  completed.  From  the  first  the 
Indians  manifested  confidence  in  the  padres,  and  the  fifteen 
days  that  Padre  Serra  remained  were  days  of  intense  joy 
and  gladness  at  seeing  the  readiness  of  the  natives  to  asso- 
ciate with  him  and  his  brother  priests.  Without  delay  they 
began  to  learn  the  language  of  the  Indians,  and  when  they 
had  made  sufficient  progress  they  devoted  much  time  to 
catechising  them.  In  two  years  158  natives  were  baptized 
and  enrolled,  and  instead  of  relying  upon  the  missionaries 
for  food,  they  brought  in  large  quantities  of  acorns,  pine- 
nuts,  squirrels,  and  rabbits.  The  Mission  being  located  in 
the  heart  of  the  mountains,  where  pine  and  oak  trees  grew 
luxuriantly,  the  pine-nut  and  acorn  were  abundant.  Be- 


134  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


fore  the  end  of  1773  the  church  and  dwellings  were  all 
built,  of  adobe,  and  three  soldiers,  who  had  married  native 
women,  were  living  in  separate  houses. 

In  August  of  1774  occurred  the  first  trouble.  The  gen- 
tile Indians,  angered  at  the  progress  of  the  Mission  and 
the  gathering  in  of  so  many  of  their  people,  attacked  the 
Mission  and  wounded  an  Indian  about  to  be  baptized. 
When  the  news  reached  Rivera  at  Monterey,  he  sent  a 
squad  of  soldiers,  who  captured  the  culprits,  gave  them 
a flogging,  and  imprisoned  them.  Later  they  were  flogged 
again,  and,  after  a few  days  in  the  stocks,  they  were 
released. 

In  1779  an  alcalde  and  regidore  were  chosen  from  the 
natives  to  assist  in  the  administration  of  justice.  In  1800 
the  report  shows  that  the  neophyte  population  was  1118, 
with  767  baptisms  and  656  deaths.  The  cattle  and  horses 
had  decreased  from  2232  of  the  last  report  to  2217,  but 
small  stock  had  slightly  increased.  In  1787  the  church 
was  regarded  as  the  best  in  California,  though  it  was  much 
improved  later,  for  in  1797  it  is  stated  that  it  was  of  adobes 
with  a tiled  roof.  In  1793  the  large  adobe  block,  eighty 
varas  long  and  one  vara  wide,  was  constructed  for  friars’ 
houses,  church  and  storehouse,  and  it  was  doubtless  this 
church  that  was  tiled  four  years  later. 

In  1805  it  gained  its  highest  population,  there  being 
1296  Indians  under  its  control.  The  lands  of  the  Mission 
were  found  to  be  barren,  necessitating  frequent  changes 
in  cultivated  fields  and  stock  ranges. 

In  1808  the  venerable  Buenaventura  Sit  jar,  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Mission,  and  who  had  toiled  there  con- 
tinuously for  thirty-seven  years,  passed  to  his  reward,  and 
was  buried  in  sight  of  the  hills  he  had  loved  so  long.  The 
following  year,  or  in  1810,  work  was  begun  on  a newer  and 
larger  church  of  adobes,  and  this  is  doubtless  the  building 
the  ruins  of  which  remain.  Though  we  have  no  record  of 
its  dedication,  there  is  no  question  but  that  it  took  place 


Plate  XXIII 


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TITLE-PAGE  OF  REGISTER  OF  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO,  IN  THE  HANDWRITING 
OF  PADRE  PA LOU 


SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PADUA 


135 


prior  to  1820,  and  in  1830  references  are  made  to  its 
arched  corridors,  etc.,  built  of  brick.  Robinson,  who  vis- 
ited it  in  this  year,  says  the  whole  Mission  is  built  of  brick, 
but  in  this  he  is  in  error.  The  fachada  is  of  brick,  as  is 
shown  in  the  chapter  on  architecture,  but  the  main  part 
of  the  building  is  of  adobe.  Robinson  speaks  thus  of  the 
Mission  and  its'  friar:  “Padre  Pedro  Cabot,  the  present 
missionary  director,  I found  to  be  a fine,  noble-looking 
man,  whose  manner  and  whole  deportment  would  have  led 
one  to  suppose  he  had  been  bred  in  the  courts  of  Europe, 
rather  than  in  the  cloister.  Everything  was  in  the  most 
perfect  order:  the  Indians  cleanly  and  well  dressed,  the 
apartments  tidy,  the  workshops,  granaries,  and  store- 
houses comfortable  and  in  good  keeping.” 

In  1834  Cabot  retired  to  give  place  to  Padre  Jesus 
Maria  Vasquez  del  Mercado,  one  of  the  newly  arrived 
Franciscans  from  Zacatecas.  In  this  year  the  neophyte 
population  had  dwindled  to  567,  and  five  years  later  Vis- 
itador  Hartwell  found  only  270  living  at  the  Mission  and 
its  adjoining  ranches.  It  is  possible,  however,  that  there 
were  fully  as  many  more  living  at  a distance  of  whom  he 
gained  no  knowledge,  as  the  official  report  for  1840  gives 
500  neophytes. 

Manuel  Crespo  was  the  comisionado  for  secularization 
in  1835,  and  he  and  Padre  Mercado  had  no  happy  times 
together.  Mercado  made  it  so  unpleasant  that  six  other 
administrators  were  appointed  in  order  to  please  him,  but 
it  was  a vain  attempt.  As  a consequence,  the  Indians  felt 
the  disturbances  and  discord,  and  became  discontented  and 
unmanageable. 

The  inventories  required  by  the  secularization  decrees 
show  that  September  10,  1835,  the  produce,  implements, 
furniture,  and  goods  were  valued  at  $7883.  Another  in- 
ventory, dated  April  27,  1836,  says : Credits  (whatever 
that  means,  supposedly  accounts  owing  to  the  Mission), 
$18,642;  buildings,  $11,197 ; vineyards,  implements,  fur- 


136  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


niture,  and  goods  in  store,  $22,671 ; 8 ranches,  $32,834 ; 
live-stock,  $1000 ; total,  $93,122,  besides  church  property, 
$7617 ; but  there  should  be  deducted  $16,886  for  property 
distributed  among  the  Indians.  On  Hartwell’s  visit  he 
reported  the  Mission  accounts  in  sad  confusion  (no  wonder, 
seven  administrators  in  half  that  number  of  years),  and  the 
Indians  full  of  complaints.  At  San  Bernabe  was  a “ gente 
de  razon,”  who  was  responsible  for  much  disease  among 
the  natives.  Alas ! not  only  ruin  to  the  Mission,  but  de- 
moralization and  destruction  to  the  Indians  had  already 
set  in. 

In  1843,  according  to  Governor  Micheltorena’s  order  of 
March  29,  the  temporal  control  of  the  Mission  was  restored 
to  the  padre.  But,  though  the  order  was  a kindly  one,  and 
relieved  the  padre  from  the  interference  of  officious,  med- 
dling, inefficient,  and  dishonest  “ administrators,”  it  was 
too  late  to  effect  any  real  service. 

As  far  as  I can  learn,  Pico’s  plan  did  not  affect  San 
Antonio,  and  it  was  not  one  of  those  sold  by  him  in  1845-6. 
In  1848  Padre  Doroteo  Ambris  was  in  charge  as  curate. 
For  thirty  years  he  remained  here,  true  to  his  calling,  an 
entirely  different  kind  of  man  from  the  quarrelsome,  arro- 
gant, drinking,  and  gambling  Mercado.  He  finally  died 
at  San  Antonio,  and  was  buried  in  the  Mission  he  guarded 
so  well. 

At  his  death  there  was  no  pastor  who  could  be  sent  to 
take  charge,  and  the  few  remaining  Indians  and  whites 
had  to  be  content  with  such  services  as  the  priests  from 
San  Miguel  and  casual  visitors  could  render.  These  were 
not  always  of  the  best.  One  of  the  residents  of  Jolon  in- 
formed me  of  one  of  them,  who,  after  mass,  drank  more 
than  was  good  for  him,  retreated  in  disgrace,  and  left  one 
of  the  old  manuals  of  the  Mission  in  his  room,  which  it 
was  evident  he  intended  to  take  away  with  him. 

San  Antonio  appeals  to  me  more  than  any  other  of  the 
Missions.  There  is  a pathetic  dignity  about  the  ruins, 


SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PADUA 


137 


an  unexpressed  claim  for  sympathy  in  the  perfect  solitude 
of  the  place  that  is  almost  overpowering.  In  the  whirl  of 
railroading  San  Antonio  has  been  completely  sidetracked, 

— far  more  so  than  San  Juan  Bautista,  — and,  unlike 
San  Juan,  it  stands  out  in  the  fields,  alone,  deserted,  for- 
gotten. Across  the  way  from  San  Juan  is  a hotel,  across 
from  San  Antonio  there  is  nothing;  indeed,  there  is  no 
across,  for  there  is  not  traffic  enough  to  make  a way.  Here 
is  what  I wrote  in  the  shadow  of  the  walls  that  still  stand, 
one  exquisite  Sunday  in  May  of  1904 : Oh,  the  infinitude 
of  care  and  patience  and  work  and  love  shown  in  this 
old  building.  Everything  was  well  and  beautifully  done ; 
it  is  so  evidently  a work  of  love  and  pride.  This  builder 
was  architect  and  lover,  maker  of  history  and  poet,  for 
power,  strength,  beauty,  and  tenderness  are  revealed  on 
every  hand.  Every  arch  is  perfect;  every  detail  in  har- 
mony with  every  other;  and  in  location  and  general  sur- 
roundings it  is  ideal.  San  Antonio  Creek  is  at  the  rear, 

— exquisite  views  of  fertile  valley,  rolling  foothills,  and 
tree-covered  mountains  on  every  side.  It  is  enclosed  in  a 
picturesque  bower  of  beauty,  — God’s  quiet  nook  in  His 
great  out-of-doors. 

And  all,  now,  is  silent  and  deserted.  Birds  fly  in  and 
out,  and  sing  in  the  towers  that  once  sent  forth  sweet 
sounds  of  evening  bell.  Horses  wander  up  and  down  the 
corridors  where  monks  were  wont  to  tell  their  beads,  and 
even  the  monastery,  consecrated  by  prayers,  songs,  and 
the  holy  toil  of  daily  labor,  and  the  rooms  in  which  Indian 
maidens  and  youths  learned  the  handicrafts  of  the  white 
man,  are  now  used  as  places  of  shade  for  the  cattle  that 
roam  through  the  valley. 

Inside  the  ruined  church  all  is  still.  There  is  no  droning 
voice  of  drowsy  padre  intoning  his  early  morning  mass ; no 
resounding  note  of  the  same  padre’s  voice  when  fired  with 
martial  ardor,  as  soldier  of  the  Cross,  preaching  to  In- 
dians whose  souls  have  been  imperilled  by  some  recent  re- 


138  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


lapse.  All,  all  is  silent!  In  the  surrounding  ruins  where 
once  was  heard  the  ring  of  iron  and  hammer  on  anvil,  the 
saw  and  plane  on  wood,  the  tap  of  the  hammer  on  leather, 
the  scrape  of  the  tool  on  hide,  the  cutting  of  the  graver 
on  wood,  and  the  busy  hum  of  active  workers  of  every  kind, 
— everything  now  is  hushed  and  still.  The  olive-oil  mill  is 
dismantled ; its  standards  gone ; only  two  of  the  olive  trees 
remain ; the  fields  no  longer  see  the  Indians ; the  plough  is 
idle;  the  rancherias  are  deserted.  Like  a gray-haired 
mother  of  sons  and  daughters,  whose  life-work  is  accom- 
plished, and  who  sits  in  her  capacious  arm-chair  awaiting  the 
last  summons,  so  seems  San  Antonio  to  sit,  calm  and  serene 
among  the  hills,  silently  voicing  the  questions : 44  Have  I, 
too,  not  accomplished?  May  I not  also  pass  in  peace?  ” 

At  Jolon  is  the  old  stage  station  and  hotel,  owned  for 
many  years  by  George  C.  Dutton,  cousin  of  Clarence  Dut- 
ton, whose  prose  poems  on  the  Grand  Canyon  I have  always 
regarded  as  among  the  classics  of  the  English  language. 
During  the  past  years  Mr.  Dutton  has  seen  San  Antonio’s 
slow  degradation  and  demolition.  The  illustration  elsewhere 
shown  pictures  it  as  he  remembers  it,  with  roof  still  on,  pul- 
pit in  place,  altar,  statues,  confessionals,  benches,  chairs,  — 
all  there.  Now,  alas!  what  is  it  but  a 44  shapeless  cairn.” 
Roofless  and  dismantled,  Nature  and  Humanity  have  both 
buffeted  the  sacred  building.  The  owls  and  bats  have 
long  made  it  their  nesting  place,  and  Man  has  despoiled 
it  of  everything  portable.  To  save  somewhat  from  the 
general  pillage,  Mr.  Dutton  brought  to  a room  of  safety 
a few  of  the  more  important  objects,  which  he  now  holds 
ready  to  turn  over  to  the  proper  authorities  on  demand. 

In  1904  the  California  Historic  Landmarks  League 
(Inc.)  undertook  the  preservation  of  San  Antonio,  and  on 
my  visit  there  in  1904  lumber  was  on  the  ground  for  roof- 
ing it.  A little  work  had  already  been  accomplished,  but 
much  more  is  immediately  necessary  if  the  walls  are  to  be 
kept  from  falling. 


SAN  GABRIEL  ARCANGEL 


139 


CHAPTER  IX 

SAN  GABRIEL,  ARCANGEL 

WE  have  already  seen  that  San  Gabriel,  the  fourth 
Mission,  was  founded  September  8,  1771.  The 
natives  gave  cheerful  assistance  in  bringing 
timber,  erecting  the  wooden  buildings,  covering  them  with 
tules,  and  constructing  the  stockade  enclosure  which  sur- 
rounded them.  They  also  brought  offerings  of  acorns  and 
pine-nuts.  In  a few  days  so  many  of  them  crowded  into 
camp  that  Padre  Somero  went  to  San  Diego  for  an  addi- 
tion to  the  guard,  and  returned  with  two  extra  men.  It 
was  not  long  before  the  soldiers  got  into  trouble,  owing 
to  their  treatment  of  the  Indian  women,  and  an  Indian 
attack,  as  before  related,  took  place.  A few  days  later, 
Fages  appeared  on  the  scene  from  San  Diego  with  sixteen 
soldiers  and  two  missionaries,  who  were  destined  as  guard 
and  priests  for  the  new  Mission  of  San  Buenaventura. 
But  the  difficulty  with  the  Indians  led  Fages  to  postpone 
the  founding  of  the  new  Mission.  The  offending  soldier 
was  hurried  off  to  Monterey  to  get  him  out  of  the  way  of 
further  trouble.  The  padres  did  their  best  to  correct  the 
evil  impression  the  soldiers  had  created,  and,  strange  to 
say,  the  first  child  brought  for  baptism  was  the  son  of  the 
chief  who  had  been  killed  in  the  dispute  with  the  soldiers. 

But  the  San  Gabriel  soldiers  were  not  to  be  controlled. 
They  were  insolent  to  the  aged  priests,  who  were  in  ill- 
health;  they  abused  the  Indians  so  far  as  to  pursue  them 
to  their  rancherfas  “ for  the  fun  of  the  thing  ” ; and  there 
have  additional  sport  by  lassoing  the  women  and  kill- 
ing such  men  as  interfered  with  their  lusts.  No  wonder 


140  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Serra’s  heart  was  heavy  when  he  heard  the  news,  and  that 
he  attributed  the  small  number  of  baptisms  — only  seventy- 
three  in  two  years  — to  the  wickedness  of  the  men  who 
should  have  aided  instead  of  hindering  the  work. 

In  his  first  report  to  Mexico,  Serra  tells  of  the  Indian 
population  around  San  Gabriel.  He  says  it  was  larger 
than  at  any  other  Mission,  though,  unfortunately,  of  sev- 
eral different  tribes  who  were  at  war  with  one  another ; and 
the  tribes  nearest  to  the  sea  would  not  allow  others  to  fish, 
so  that  they  were  often  in  great  want  of  food.  Of  the  pros- 
pects for  agriculture  he  was  most  enthusiastic.  The  loca- 
tion was  a well-watered  plain,  with  plenty  of  water  and 
natural  facilities  for  irrigation ; and  though  the  first 
year’s  crop  was  drowned  out,  the  second  produced  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  fanegas  of  maize  and  seven  fanegas  of 
beans.  The  buildings  erected  were  of  the  same  general 
character  as  those  already  described  at  San  Carlos,  though 
somewhat  smaller. 

When  Captain  Anza  reached  California  from  Sonora, 
by  way  of  the  Colorado,  on  his  first  trip  in  1774,  accom- 
panied by  Padre  Garces,  he  stayed  for  awhile  to  recuperate 
at  San  Gabriel ; and  when  he  came  the  second  time,  with  the 
colonists  for  the  new  presidio  of  San  Francisco,  San  Ga- 
briel was  their  first  real  stopping  place  after  that  long, 
weary,  and  arduous  journey  across  the  sandy  deserts  of 
Arizona  and  California.  Here  Anza  met  Rivera,  who  had 
arrived  the  day  before  from  Monterey.  It  will  be  remem- 
bered that  just  at  that  time  the  news  came  of  the  Indian 
uprising  at  San  Diego;  so,  leaving  his  main  force  and  the 
immigrants  to  recuperate,  he  and  seventeen  of  his  soldiers, 
with  Padre  Font,  started  with  Rivera  for  the  South.  This 
was  in  January,  1776.  He  and  Rivera  did  not  agree  as  to 
the  best  methods  to  be  followed  in  dealing  with  the  trouble- 
some Indians;  so,  when  advices  reached  him  from  San  Ga- 
briel that  provisions  were  giving  out,  he  decided  to  allow 
Rivera  to  follow  his  own  plans,  and  that,  as  for  him,  he 


SAN  GABRIEL  ARCANGEL 


141 


would  return  to  the  North  and  do  the  work  for  which  he 
came.  When  he  arrived  at  San  Gabriel,  February  IS,  he 
found  that  three  of  his  muleteers,  a servant,  and  a soldier 
belonging  to  the  Mission  had  deserted,  taking  with  them 
twenty-five  horses  and  a quantity  of  Mission  property.  His 
ensign,  Moraga,  was  sent  after  the  deserters;  but,  as  he 
did  not  return  as  soon  as  was  expected,  Anza  started 
with  his  band  of  colonists  for  the  future  San  Francisco, 
where  they  duly  arrived,  as  is  recorded  in  the  San  Fran- 
cisco chapter. 

In  1777-8  the  Indians  were  exceedingly  troublesome, 
and  on  one  occasion  came  in  large  force,  armed,  to  avenge 
some  outrage  the  soldiers  had  perpetrated.  The  padres 
met  them  with  a shining  image  of  Our  Lady,  when,  imme- 
diately, they  were  subdued,  and  knelt,  weeping,  at  the  feet 
of  the  priests. 

In  1779  Indians  were  chosen  as  alcaldes  and  regidores 
to  aid  in  the  administration  of  discipline.  The  same  year 
the  crops  were  large,  as  it  is  reported  that  they  had  2000 
bushels  of  surplus  maize. 

Being  the  natural  meeting  place  for  overland  parties 
coming  from  the  peninsula  northwards,  and  from  Sonora 
west  and  north,  San  Gabriel  was  made  the  rendezvous  of 
all  the  colonizing  expeditions.  When  Neve’s  recommenda- 
tions for  the  founding  of  the  so-called  Channel  Missions 
were  being  carried  out,  a party  of  colonists,  consisting  of 
thirty-five  soldiers  and  thirty  families,  arrived  at  San  Ga- 
briel by  way  of  the  Colorado  River  from  Sonora,  on  July 
14,  1781 ; and  on  August  18  of  the  same  year  another 
party,  which  had  come  from  Mexico  by  crossing  the  Gulf 
at  Guaymas  and  up  the  peninsula,  consisting  of  seventeen 
men,  probably  soldiers,  and  eleven  settlers  and  their  families 
also  arrived.  As  some  of  the  children  of  the  latter  band 
had  recently  had  smallpox,  they  were  quarantined  at  a dis- 
tance of  a league  from  the  Mission  as  a preventive  meas- 
ure. On  the  26*th  of  August  Governor  Neve  issued,  at  San 


142  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Gabriel,  his  instructions  for  founding  the  pueblo  of  La 
Reina  de  los  Angeles.  The  impossibility  of  transporting 
needed  supplies  and  making  necessary  preparations  before 
the  rainy  season  set  in  compelled  delay  in  founding  the 
channel  settlements.  The  return  of  Ensign  Limon,  — the 
officer  who,  with  his  nine  soldiers  had  escorted  the  settlers 
from  the  Colorado  River  to  San  Gabriel,  and  had  then 
started  back  for  Sonora,  but  had  been  attacked  by  hostile 
Yuma  Indians  and  two  of  his  men  killed  and  himself 
wounded,  — while  causing  great  excitement,  gave  no  rea- 
son for  a delay  in  proceeding  with  the  founding  of  Los 
Angeles,  so  that  on  September  4 it  was  formally  accom- 
plished. In  1782  the  council  determined  to  punish  the  mur- 
derous Yumas,  and,  accordingly,  plans  were  laid  with  a 
great  deal  of  official  red  tape,  but  practically  nothing  was 
done  until  August  21,  when  Governor  Neve  set  out  from 
San  Gabriel  with  Fages  and  sixty  men.  Three  days  before 
reaching  the  river,  despatches  reached  Fages  which  led  him 
to  return  and  assume  the  duties  of  governor,  to  which 
office  he  had  just  been  appointed,  while  Neve  proceeded  to 
Sonora  to  assume  his  new  and  higher  office.  Captain 
Romeu,  who  had  come  from  Sonora  with  one  hundred  and 
eight  men,  was  left  to  chastise  the  Yumas ; but,  after  a few 
days’  skirmish,  in  which  a few  Indians  were  killed,  the 
place  was  abandoned,  as  far  as  the  Spaniards  were  con- 
cerned, practically  forever. 

During  the  whole  of  this  time,  the  forces  that  were  to 
be  employed  at  the  new  Channel  Missions  had  been  quar- 
tered at  San  Gabriel,  giving  quite  a martial  appearance 
to  the  place.  In  the  spring  of  1782,  however,  they  moved, 
and  established  Santa  Barbara. 

In  1784  the  venerable  Serra,  on  a tour  to  all  the  Mis- 
sions, stopped  at  San  Gabriel,  and  there  was  so  ill  that  his 
end  was  daily  expected.  But  he  rallied  and  succeeded  in 
returning  to  San  Carlos,  where  he  died.  In  1790  the  num- 
ber of  neophytes  had  increased  from  638,  in  1783,  to  1040; 


SAN  GABRIEL  ARCANGEL 


143 


large  stock  from  860  to  4221,  and  small  stock  from  2070 
to  6013.  The  harvest  in  the  year  1790  was  6150  bushels. 
In  1800  it  had  9400  bushels. 

Gigedo,  speaking  of  the  condition  of  affairs  at  the  close 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  says  of  the  Colorado  River  and 
San  Gabriel: 

“ This  point  and  the  Mission  of  San  Gabriel  form  the  circle 
within  which  swarm  pagan  Indians,  who  may  be  persuaded  to 
accept  our  holy  religion  and  the  mild  dominion  of  our  sovereign, 
and  so  contribute  to  the  important  object  of  making  the  penin- 
sula of  the  Californias  one  of  the  most  respectable  colonies  on 
the  frontier  of  New  Spain.” 

But  Fate  decreed  otherwise  of  the  Colorado  River,  and  the 
Indians  at  San  Gabriel,  having  more  or  less  contact  with 
those  of  the  Colorado  and  the  Mohave  regions,  and,  doubt- 
less being  incited  to  lawlessness  by  these  unsubjugated 
peoples,  gave  considerable  trouble  to  the  Spaniards.  Neo- 
phytes conspired  with  gentiles,  and  the  Mission  storehouse 
was  robbed,  cattle  and  horses  driven  off.  In  1810  the 
padres  report  that  a force  of  800  hostile  Indians  of  the 
Mohave  and  Yuma  tribes  marched  to  San  Gabriel  with 
the  avowed  intention  of  destroying  it  and  San  Fernando, 
but  the  timely  arrival  of  forces  prevented  the  attack. 

In  October,  1785,  trouble  was  caused  by  a woman  tempt- 
ing (so  they  said)  the  neophytes  and  gentiles  to  attack  the 
Mission  and  kill  the  padres.  The  plot  was  discovered,  and 
the  corporal  in  command  captured  some  twenty  of  the 
leaders  and  quelled  the  uprising  without  bloodshed.  Four 
of  the  ringleaders  were  imprisoned,  the  others  whipped  with 
fifteen  or  twenty  lashes  each,  and  released.  The  woman 
was  sentenced  to  perpetual  exile,  and  possibly  shipped  off 
to  one  of  the  peninsula  Missions. 

In  1810  the  settlers  at  Los  Angeles  complained  to  the 
Governor  that  the  San  Gabriel  padres  had  dammed  up  the 
river  at  Cahuenga,  thus  cutting  off  their  water  supply; 


144  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


and  they  also  stated  that  the  padres  refused  to  attend  to 
the  spiritual  wants  of  their  sick.  The  padres  offered  to 
remove  the  dam  if  the  settlers  were  injured  thereby,  and 
also  claimed  that  they  were  always  glad  to  attend  to  the 
sick  when  their  own  pressing  duties  allowed. 

On  January  14,  1811,  Padre  Francisco  Dumetz,  one  of 
Serra’s  original  compadres,  died  at  San  Gabriel.  At  this 
time,  and  since  1806,  Padre  Jose  Maria  Zalvidea,  that 
strict  martinet  of  padres,  was  in  charge,  and  he  brought  it 
up  to  its  highest  state  of  efficiency.  He  it  was  who  began 
the  erection  of  the  stone  church  that  now  remains,  and  the 
whole  precinct,  during  his  rule,  rang  with  the  busy  ham- 
mer, clatter,  chatter,  and  movement  of  a large  number  of 
active  workers. 

It  was  doubtless  owing  to  the  earthquake  of  December 
8,  1812,  which  occurred  at  sunrise,  that  a new  church  was 
built.  The  main  altar  was  overthrown,  several  of  the 
figures  broken,  the  steeple  toppled  over  and  crashed  to 
the  ground,  and  the  sacristy  walls  were  badly  cracked.  The 
padres’  house  as  well  as  all  the  other  buildings  suffered. 

One  of  the  adjuncts  to  San  Gabriel  was  El  Molino  Viejo , 
— the  old  mill.  Indeed  there  were  two  old  mills,  the  first 
one,  however,  built  in  Padre  Zalvidea’s  time  in  1810  to 
1812,  being  the  one  that  now  remains.  It  is  about  two  miles 
from  the  Mission.  It  had  to  be  abandoned  on  account  of 
faulty  location.  Being  built  on  the  hillside,  its  west  main 
wall  was  the  wall  of  the  deep  funnel-shaped  cisterns  which 
furnished  the  water  head.  This  made  the  interior  damp. 
Then,  too,  the  chamber  in  which  the  water-wheel  revolved 
was  so  low  that  the  powerful  head  of  water  striking  the 
horizontal  wheel  would  splash  all  over  the  walls  and  work 
up  through  the  shaft  holes  to  the  mill  stones  and  thus  wet 
the  flour.  This  necessitated  the  constant  presence  of  In- 
dian women  to  carry  away  the  meal  to  dry  storerooms  at 
the  Mission,  where  it  was  bolted  by  a hand  process  of  their 
own  devising.  On  this  account  the  mill  was  abandoned,  and 


SAN  GABRIEL  ARCANGEL 


145 


for  several  years  the  whole  of  the  meal  for  the  Mission  was 
ground  on  the  old-style  metates. 

The  main  building  is  24  by  55  feet,  with  walls  of  solid 
masonry  nearly  five  feet  thick  at  the  base  and  sloping  to 
a little  over  three  feet  at  the  top,  and  resting  on  a founda- 
tion of  stone  and  cement.  There  were  two  great  arches  in 
the  lower  story  (east  front),  where  the  water-wheel  was 
placed.  The  south  wheel-chamber  was  never  used.  An 
earthquake  in  1812  cracked  the  north  fore-bay,  and  thus 
rendered  it  useless  as  a water  storage.  The  water  was 
conveyed  from  Los  Robles  Canyon  in  a ditch  to  the  fore- 
bay, which  is  a funnel-shaped  cement  cistern,  12  feet  deep. 
From  the  bottom  of  this  cistern  a narrow  spout-flume  ex- 
tended through  the  thick  stone  wall  into  the  brick-arched 
wheel-chamber,  and  the  water  poured  through  the  spout 
horizontally  against  the  buckets  of  the  water-wheel.  The 
water  f rom  Mill  Canyon  was  also  brought  in  by  ditch. 
After  its  use  here  the  water  flowed  into  the  dam  below, 
where  it  was  used  again  for  power  to  operate  a saw-mill, 
also  erected  by  the  indefatigable  Zalvidea.  The  grinding 
stones  of  the  old  mill  were  2 J feet  in  diameter  and  7 to  8 
inches  thick,  and  are  now  used  as  a horse-block  at  San  Ma- 
rino, the  residence  of  the  Hon.  J.  De  Barth  Shorb.  From 
under  the  buttress  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  mill,  in 
the  wheel-chamber,  flows  a tiny  stream  of  water,  and  many 
writers  have  made  much  mystery  out  of  this.  When  all  the 
circumstances  are  considered  the  mystery  is  easily  solved. 
The  San  Gabriel  Indians  were  all  made  to  work  by  Padre 
Zalvidea,  who,  being  austere  with  himself,  was  austere  with 
all  who  were  in  his  keeping.  There  were  about  thirty 
classes  of  workers,  all  under  the  direction  of  the  famous 
mayordomo,  Claudio  Lopez.  Claudio  appointed  his  dep- 
uties, who  took  actual  charge  of  the  bands,  armed  with 
bull-whips  made  of  strips  of  rawhide,  which  they  did  not 
hesitate  to  use  if  any  of  the  men  and  women  failed  to  do 
their  allotted  tasks.  This  harsh  treatment  led  to  frequent 

10 


146  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


escapes  into  the  mountains,  where  the  aggrieved  Indians 
would  organize  into  bands  of  hostiles.  Uprisings,  attacks, 
murders  were  not  entire  strangers  to  the  padres,  so  Zal- 
videa  made  both  his  Mission  and  the  mill  strong  enough  for 
fortresses  of  defence  in  case  of  need.  And  lest  they  should 
be  so  needed,  he  wisely  provided  a supply  of  water  by 
means  of  this  cunningly  devised  water-way.  Fortunately  it 
was  never  needed. 

In  1859  Col.  E.  J.  C.  Kewen,  one  of  the  members  of  the 
noted  Walker  filibustering  expedition,  and  an  ex-attorney- 
general  of  California,  bought  the  old  mill  and  converted  it 
into  a comfortable  residence;  but  at  his  death  in  1879  it 
was  abandoned  and  its  later  owner  used  it  as  a bunk-house 
for  tools,  etc. 

The  region  adjacent  to  the  mill  was  once  largely  in- 
habited by  Indians,  for  the  foreman  of  the  mill  ranch  de- 
clares that  he  has  hauled  from  the  adjacent  bluff  as  many 
stone  pestles  and  mortars,  metates  and  grinders  as  would 
load  a four-horse  wagon. 

It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  originally  the  mill  was 
roofed  with  red  tiles  made  by  the  Indians  at  the  Mission; 
but  these  have  entirely  disappeared. 

It  was  the  habit  of  Padre  Zalvidea  to  regularly  send 
certain  of  his  most  trusted  neophytes  over  to  the  Islands 
of  San  Clemente  and  Catalina  with  a bolt  or  two  of  woven 
serge,  made  at  the  Mission  San  Gabriel,  to  exchange  with 
the  Island  Indians  for  their  soapstone  cooking  vessels, 
— mortars,  etc.  These  traders  invariably  embarked  from 
a point  where  Redondo  now  is,  and  started  always  at 
midnight. 

In  1819  the  Indians  of  the  Guachama  rancho,  called  San 
Bernardino,  petitioned  for  the  introduction  of  agriculture 
and  stock  raising,  and  this  was  practically  the  beginning 
of  that  asistencia,  as  will  be  recorded  in  the  chapter  on  the 
various  chapels.  A chapel  was  also  much  needed  at  Puente, 
where  Zalvidea  had  six  hundred  Indians  at  work  in  1816. 


SAN  GABRIEL  ARCANGEL 


147 


In  1822  San  Gabriel  was  fearfully  alarmed  at  the  rumor 
that  one  hundred  and  fifty  Indians  were  bearing  down 
upon  that  Mission  from  the  Colorado  River  region.  It 
transpired  that  it  was  a band  of  Opatas  with  despatches, 
and  that  they  had  no  hostile  intent.  But  Captain  Portilla 
met  them  and  sent  them  back,  not  a little  disconcerted  by 
their  inhospitable  reception. 

In  the  wild,  political  chaos  that  occurred  in  California 
after  Mexico  became  independent  of  Spain,  San  Gabriel 
felt  occasional  waves.  When  the  people  of  San  Diego  and 
the  southern  part  of  the  State  rebelled  against  Governor 
Victoria,  and  the  latter  confident  chief  came  to  arrange 
matters,  a battle  took  place  near  Los  Angeles,  in  which  he 
was  severely  wounded.  His  friends  bore  him  to  San  Ga- 
briel, and,  though  he  had  entirely  defeated  his  foes,  so 
cleverly  did  some  one  work  upon  his  fears  that  he  made  a 
formal  surrender,  December  6,  1831.  On  the  9th  the 
leader  of  the  rebels,  the  former  governor  Echeandia,  had 
a conference  with  him  at  San  Gabriel,  where  he  pledged 
himself  to  return  to  Mexico  without  giving  further  trouble ; 
and  on  the  20th  he  left,  stopping  for  awhile  at  San  Luis 
Rey  with  Padre  Peyri.  It  was  at  this  time  the  venerable 
and  worthy  Peyri  decided  to  leave  California,  and  he  there- 
fore accompanied  the  deposed  governor  to  San  Diego,  from 
which  port  they  sailed  January  17,  1832. 

After  secularization  San  Gabriel  was  one  of  the  Mis- 
sions that  slaughtered  a large  number  of  her  cattle  for 
the  hides  and  tallow.  Pio  Pico  states  that  he  had  the  con- 
tract at  San  Gabriel,  employing  10  vaqueros  and  30  In- 
dians, and  that  he  thus  killed  over  5000  head.  Robinson 
says  that  the  rascally  contractors  secretly  appropriated 
two  hides  for  every  one  they  turned  over  to  the  Mission. 

In  1834  occurred  the  destruction  of  the  chapel  at  San 
Bernardino,  and  the  survivors  fleeing  to  San  Gabriel 
brought  a considerable  feeling  of  unrest;  but  the  uprising 
was  quelled,  as  is  related  in  the  chapter  on  chapels. 


148  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


In  this  year  Colonel  Gutierrez  was  the  comisionado  to 
carry  into  effect  the  order  of  secularization;  but  up  to 
1838  he  had  three  successors,  and  when,  in  1840,  the  last 
administrator,  Juan  Bandini,  handed  over  the  live-stock 
there  were  but  72  cattle  and  700  sheep,  though  in  1839 
there  were  1700  horses,  1100  cattle,  and  1000  sheep. 

The  old  registers  practically  close  in  1831,  and  they 
state  that  from  1771  there  had  been  7709  baptisms,  5494 
burials,  and  1877  marriages. 

In  1843,  March  29,  Micheltorena’s  order,  restoring  San 
Gabriel  to  the  padres,  was  carried  out,  and  in  1844  the 
official  church  report  states  that  nothing  is  left  but  its 
vineyards  in  a sad  condition,  and  300  neophytes.  The  final 
inventory  made  by  the  comisionados  under  Pio  Pico  is  miss- 
ing, so  that  we  do  not  know  at  what  the  Mission  was  val- 
ued; but  June  8,  1846,  he  sold  the  whole  property  to  Reid 
and  Workman  in  payment  for  past  services  to  the  govern- 
ment. When  attacked  for  his  participation  in  what  evi- 
dently seemed  the  fraudulent  transfer  of  the  Mission,  Pico 
replied  that  the  sale  “ did  not  go  through.”  The  United 
States  officers,  in  August  of  the  same  year,  dispossessed 
them,  and  the  courts  finally  decreed  the  sale  invalid. 

In  1847  Padre  Estenega  died,  and  Bias  de  Ordaz  was 
appointed.  He  died  in  1850,  and  since  then  the  church  has 
been  a regular  parish  church,  under  the  direction  of  the 
bishop  of  the  diocese. 

There  are  a few  portions  of  the  old  cactus  hedge  still 
remaining,  planted  by  Padre  Zalvidea.  Several  hundreds 
of  acres  of  vineyard  and  garden  were  thus  enclosed  for 
purposes  of  protection  from  Indians  and  roaming  bands  of 
horses  and  cattle.  The  fruit  of  the  prickly  pear  was  a 
prized  article  of  diet  by  the  Indians,  so  that  the  hedge  was 
of  benefit  in  two  ways,  — protection  and  food. 

The  Mission  church  is  nearly  140  feet  long,  26  feet 
wide,  and  30  feet  high,  inside  measurement.  The  founda- 
tions and  walls  are  of  rubble  stones  and  cement  as  far  as 


SAN  GABRIEL  ARCANGEL 


149 


the  windows ; above  that  brick  is  used.  At  the  floor  the 
walls  are  five  feet  thick.  Originally  the  building  had  an 
arched  roof,  but  this  was  partially  destroyed  in  one  of  the 
earthquakes  and  a tile  roof  substituted  in  its  stead. 

On  the  altar  are  several  of  the  old  statues,  and  there  are 
some  quaint  pictures  upon  the  walls. 

In  the  baptistery  is  a font  of  hammered  copper,  probably 
made  either  at  San  Gabriel  or  San  Fernando.  There  are 
several  other  interesting  vessels.  At  the  rear  of  the  church 
are  the  remains  of  five  brick  structures,  where  the  soap 
making  and  tallow  rendering  of  the  Mission  was  conducted. 
Five  others  were  removed  a few  years  ago  to  make  way  for 
the  public  road.  Undoubtedly  there  were  other  buildings 
for  the  women  and  male  neophytes  as  well  as  the  workshops. 

The  San  Gabriel  belfry  is  well  known  in  picture,  song, 
and  story.  Yet  the  fanciful  legends  about  the  casting  of 
the  bells  give  way  to  stern  fact  when  they  are  examined. 
Upon  the  first  bell  is  the  inscription : 44  Ave  Maria  Santis- 
ima.  S.  Francisco.  De  Paula  Rvelas,  me  fecit.”  The 
second:  44  Cast  by  G.  H.  Holbrook,  Medway,  Mass., 
1828.”  The  third:  44  Ave  Maria,  Sn  Jvan  Nepomvseno, 
Ruelas  me  fecit,  A.  D.,  ’95.”  The  fourth:  44  Fecit  Benitvs 
a Regibvs,  Ano  D.  1830,  Sn.  Frano.” 

In  the  year  1886  a number  of  needed  repairs  were  made; 
the  windows  were  enlarged,  and  a new  ceiling  put  in,  the 
latter  a most  incongruous  piece  of  work. 


150  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  X 

SAN  LUIS,  OBISPO  DE  TOLOSA 

FOUNDED,  as  we  have  seen,  by  Serra  himself, 
September  1,  1772,  by  the  end  of  1773  it  could 
report  only  twelve  converts.  Serra  left  the  day 
after  the  founding,  leaving  Padre  Cavalier  in  charge,  with 
two  Indians  from  Lower  California,  four  soldiers  and  their 
corporal.  Their  only  provisions  were  a few  hundred 
pounds  of  flour  and  wheat,  and  a barrel  of  brown  sugar. 
But  the  Indians  were  kind,  in  remembrance  of  Fages’s  good- 
ness in  shooting  the  bears,  and  brought  them  venison  and 
seeds  frequently,  so  they  “ managed  to  subsist  ” until  pro- 
visions came. 

Padre  Cavalier  built  a neat  chapel  of  logs  and  apart- 
ments for  the  missionaries,  and  the  soldiers  soon  erected 
their  own  barracks.  While  the  Indians  were  friendly  they 
did  not  seem  to  be  particularly  attracted  to  the  Mission, 
as  they  had  more  and  better  food  than  the  padre,  and 
the  only  thing  he  had  that  they  particularly  desired  was 
cloth.  There  was  no  rancheria  in  the  vicinity,  but  they 
were  much  interested  in  the  growth  of  the  corn  and  beans 
sown  by  the  padre,  and  which,  being  on  good  and  well- 
watered  land,  yielded  abundantly. 

In  1776  certain  gentiles,  who  were  hostile  to  some  In- 
dians who  were  sheltered  by  the  padres,  attacked  the  Mis- 
sion by  discharging  burning  arrows  upon  the  tule  roof  of 
the  buildings,  and  everything  was  destroyed,  save  the 
church  and  the  granary.  Rivera  came  at  once,  captured 
two  of  the  ringleaders,  and  sent  them  for  punishment  to 
the  Monterey  presidio.  The  success  of  the  gentiles  on  this 


Plate  XXIV 


SIX  ARCHES  AT  SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


SAN  LUIS  OBISPO  DE  TOLOSA 


151 


occasion  led  them  to  repeat  it  by  setting  fire  to  the  Mission 
twice  during  the  next  ten  years,  and  it  was  these  calamities 
that  led  one  of  the  San  Luis  padres  to  attempt  the  making 
of  roof  tiles.  Being  successful,  it  was  not  long  before  all 
the  Missions  were  so  roofed. 

In  1794  certain  of  the  neophytes  of  San  Luis  and  La 
Purfsima  conspired  with  some  gentiles  to  incite  the  In- 
dians at  San  Luis  to  revolt,  but  the  arrest  and  deportation 
of  fifteen  or  twenty  of  the  ringleaders  to  Monterey,  to  hard 
labor  at  the  presidio,  put  a stop  to  the  revolt. 

Padres  Lasuen  and  Tapis  both  served  here  as  mission- 
aries, and  in  1798  Luis  Antonio  Martinez,  one  of  the  best 
known  of  the  padres,  began  his  long  term  of  service  at  San 
Luis.  In  1794  the  Mission  reached  its  highest  population 
of  946  souls.  It  had  6500  head  of  cattle  and  horses,  6150 
sheep.  In  1798  it  raised  4100  bushels  of  wheat,  and  in 
this  same  year  a water-power  mill  was  erected  and  set  in 
motion.  San  Luis  was  also  favored  by  the  presence  of  a 
smith,  a miller,  and  a carpenter  of  the  artisan  instructors, 
sent  by  the  King  in  1794.  Looms  were  erected,  and  cotton 
brought  up  from  San  Bias  was  woven.  A new  church  of 
adobes,  with  a tile  roof,  was  completed  in  1793,  and  that 
same  year  a portico  was  added  to  its  front. 

In  1818,  when  Bouchard,  the  South  American  revolu- 
tionist, came  North  to  harass  the  California  coast,  he 
stopped  at  Refugio,  a sea-coast  rancho  about  opposite  to 
San  Luis.  A force  was  at  once  raised  to  go  and  drive  off 
the  “pirates,”  and  Padre  Martinez  rose  from  a sick  bed 
to  lead  thirty-five  of  his  neophytes  to  the  scene  of  action. 
After  the  destruction  of  the  ranch  house  Bouchard  sailed 
for  Santa  Barbara,  leaving  three  of  his  men,  however, 
prisoners  in  the  hands  of  the  Spaniards. 

A little  prior  to  this  time,  Martinez  visited  the  Indians 
of  the  great  valley  of  the  Tulares,  and  found  them  willing 
to  have  a Mission  established;  and  had  not  controversy 
arisen  on  the  question  of  the  presence  of  soldiers,  it  is  pos- 


152  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


sible  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  would  have  had  several  Mis- 
sions established  in  the  course  of  a few  years. 

To  the  sailors  and  traders  along  the  coast  early  in  the 
century,  few  figures  were  better  known  and  better  liked 
than  that  of  the  picturesque  Padre  Luis  Martinez.  “ Portly 
of  figure  and  gruff  of  speech  ” he  was  jolly,  hail-fellow- 
well-met,  hospitable,  and,  if  reports  and  suspicions  count 
for  anything,  always  ready  to  trade  for  his  own  advan- 
tage. Anyhow,  in  the  spring  of  1830,  on  the  charge  of 
smuggling,  he  was  banished,  and,  with  many  tears  and 
much  regret,  he  was  compelled  to  say  farewell  to  the  Mis- 
sion he  so  much  loved,  and  the  Indians  he  had  sought  to 
benefit,  to  return  in  disgrace  to  old  Madrid,  where  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  days. 

“ H.  H.,”  in  Ramona,  in  describing  the  wedding  tour  and 
festivities  of  General  and  Senora  Moreno,  tells  a good 
story  which  perfectly  illustrates  the  jolly  character  of 
Padre  Martinez.  She  says: 

“ On  the  morning  of  their  departure,  the  good  padre,  having 
exhausted  all  his  resources  for  entertaining  his  distinguished 
guests,  caused  to  be  driven  past  the  corridors  for  their  inspec- 
tion, all  the  poultry  belonging  to  the  Mission.  The  procession 
took  an  hour  to  pass.  For  music  there  was  squeaking,  cackling, 
hissing,  gobbling,  crowing,  and  quacking  of  the  fowls,  combined 
with  the  screaming,  scolding,  and  whip-cracking  of  the  excited 
Indian  marshals  of  the  lines.  First  came  the  turkeys,  then  the 
roosters,  then  the  white  hens,  then  the  black,  and  then  the 
yellow ; next  the  ducks,  and  at  the  tail  of  the  spectacle  long 
files  of  geese,  some  struggling,  some  half  flying  and  hissing  in 
resentment  and  terror  at  the  unwonted  coercion  to  which  they 
were  subjected.  The  Indians  had  been  hard  at  work  all  night 
capturing,  sorting,  assorting,  and  guarding  the  rank  and  file  of 
their  novel  pageant.  It  would  be  safe  to  say  that  a droller 
sight  never  was  seen,  and  never  will  be,  on  the  Pacific  coast  or 
any  other.  Before  it  was  done  with,  the  General  and  his  bride 
had  nearly  died  with  laughter;  and  the  General  could  never 
allude  to  it  without  laughing  almost  as  heartily  again.” 


SAN  LUIS  OBISPO  DE  TOLOSA 


153 


At  the  time  of  Martinez’s  banishment  the  buildings  at 
San  Luis  were  already  falling  into  decay,  as  the  padre, 
with  far-seeing  eye,  was  assured  that  the  politicians  had 
nothing  but  evil  in  store  for  them.  Consequently,  he  did 
not  keep  up  things  as  he  otherwise  would  have  done.  He 
was  an  outspoken,  frank,  fearless  man,  and  this  undoubt- 
edly led  to  his  being  chosen  as  the  example  necessary  to 
restrain  the  other  padres  from  too  great  freedom  of  speech 
and  manner. 

In  1834  San  Luis  had  264  neophytes,  though  after  sec- 
ularization the  number  was  gradually  reduced  until,  in 
1840,  there  were  but  170  left.  The  order  of  seculariza- 
tion was  put  into  effect  in  1835  by  Manuel  Jimeno  Casarin. 
The  inventory  of  the  property  in  1836  showed  $70,000. 
In  1839  it  was  $60,000.  In  1840  all  the  horses  were 
stolen  by  “ New  Mexican  traders,”  one  report  alone  telling 
of  the  driving  away  of  1200  head.  The  officers  at  Los 
Angeles  went  in  pursuit  of  the  thieves  and  one  party 
reported  that  it  came  in  full  sight  of  the  foe  retiring 
deliberately  with  the  stolen  animals,  but,  as  there  were  as 
many  Americans  as  Indians  in  the  band  they  deemed  it 
imprudent  to  risk  a conflict. 

In  1842  a distribution  of  land  to  the  most  worthy 
neophytes  took  place;  one,  named  Odon,  receiving  75 
varas  of  land,  the  house  occupied  by  him,  a copper  pot 
and  two  troughs.  The  fruit  of  the  trees  on  his  land,  how- 
ever, was  to  remain  community  property. 

Two  years  later  the  report  of  the  padre  presidente 
Duran  states  that  at  San  Luis  there  are  neither  lands, 
nor  cattle,  and  its  neophytes  are  scattered  for  want  of  a 
minister.  It  had  been  completely  secularized  by  Michel- 
torena’s  decree  in  1843,  converted  into  a pueblo,  the 
neophytes  freed,  the  Mission  house  turned  into  a par- 
sonage, and  the  other  buildings  dedicated  to  public  uses. 

June  5,  1845,  saw  Pio  Pico’s  decree  issued  offering 
San  Luis  for  sale,  and  December  4 it  was  sold  to  Scott, 


154  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Wilson,  and  McKinley  for  $510,  and  this  ended  its  history 
as  a Mission. 

In  December  of  1846,  when  Fremont  was  marching 
south  to  co-operate  with  Stockton  against  the  Southern 
Californians,  San  Luis  was  thought  to  harbor  an  armed 
force  of  hostiles.  Accordingly  Fremont  surrounded  it 
one  dark,  rainy  night,  and  took  it  by  sudden  assault. 
The  fears  were  unfounded,  for  only  women,  children,  and 
non-combatants  were  found. 

In  the  baptismal  register  at  San  Luis  Obispo,  the  first 
date  of  which  is  in  1772,  the  original  names  are  given 
of  many  of  the  ranchenas  of  that  Mission,  some  of  which 
are  still  retained  in  local  names  to  this  day.  We  find 
Tchena,  Tgmaps,  De  Qmchechs,  De  Imipu,  Chiminer, 
Lteguie,  Chofuate,  Sespala,  Sesjala,  Chapule,  etc.  Bap- 
tism 2087  is  of  an  adult  about  30  years  of  age,  a native 
of  Santa  Margarita.  His  name  was  Csfoczo,  and  he  was 
given  the  Christian  name  of  Juan. 

Six  miles  from  San  Luis  is  the  Rancho  Camado,  where 
are  some  hot  springs.  Opposite  these  are  to  be  found 
remnants  of  walls.  These  are  ruins  of  the  church  of  a 
vista  or  asistencia  of  San  Luis,  and  a padre  went  regu- 
larly from  the  Mission  to  say  mass  for  the  Indians  there. 

The  Book  of  Confirmations  at  San  Luis  has  its  intro- 
ductory pages  written  by  Serra.  There  is  also  a “ Nota  ” 
opposite  page  3,  and  a full  page  note  in  the  back  in  his 
clear,  vigorous  and  distinctive  hand. 

There  are  three  bells  at  San  Luis  Obispo.  The  thickest 
is  to  the  right,  the  smallest  in  the  centre.  On  the  largest 
bell  is  the  following  inscription:  “Me  fecit  ano  di  1818 
Manvel  Vargas,  Lima.  Mision  de  Sn  Luis  Obispo  De  La 
Nueba  California,”  this  latter  in  a circumferential  panel 
about  midway  between  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  bell. 
On  the  middle  bell  we  read  the  same  inscription,  while 
there  is  none  on  the  third.  This  latter  was  cast  in  San 
Francisco,  from  two  old  bells  which  were  broken. 


SAN  LUIS  OBISPO  DE  TOLOSA 


155 


From  a painting  the  old  San  Luis  Obispo  church  is 
shown  to  have  been  raised  up  on  a stone  and  cement 
foundation.  The  corridor  was  without  the  arches  that 
are  elsewhere  one  of  the  distinctive  features,  but  plain 
round  columns,  with  a square  base  and  topped  with  a 
plain  square  moulding  gave  support  to  the  roof  beams 
on  which  the  usual  red-tiled  roof  was  placed. 

The  fachada  of  the  church  retreats  some  15  or  20  feet 
from  the  front  line  of  the  corridors.  The  monastery  has 
been  “ restored,”  even  as  has  the  church,  out  of  all  resem- 
blance to  its  own  honest  original  self.  The  adobe  walls 
are  covered  with  painted  wood,  and  the  tiles  have  given 
way  to  shingles,  just  like  any  other  modern  and  common- 
place house.  The  building  faces  the  southeast.  The  altar 
end  is  at  the  northwest.  To  the  southwest  are  the  remains 
of  a building  of  boulders,  brick,  and  cement,  exactly  of 
the  same  style  as  the  asistencia  building  of  Santa  Mar- 
garita. It  seems  as  if  it  might  have  been  built  by  the 
same  hands. 


156  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XI 

SAN  FRANCISCO  DE  ASIS 

THE  story  of  Bucareli’s  determination  to  found  a 
presidio  at  San  Francisco,  and  Anza’s  march 
with  the  colonists  for  it  from  Sonora,  has  already 
been  recounted.  When  Serra  and  Galvez  were  making 
their  original  plans  for  the  establishment  of  the  three 
first  Missions  of  Alta  California,  Serra  expressed  his 
disappointment  that  St.  Francis  was  neglected  by  asking: 
“ And  for  our  founder  St.  Francis  there  is  no  Mission?  ” 
to  which  Galvez  replied:  “ If  St.  Francis  desires  a Mission, 
let  him  show  us  his  harbor  and  he  shall  have  one.”  It 
therefore  seemed  providential  that  when  Portola,  Fages, 
and  Crespf,  in  1769,  saw  the  Bay  of  Monterey  they  did 
not  recognize  it,  and  were  thus  led  on  further  north,  where 
the  great  Bay  of  San  Francisco  was  soon  afterwards 
discovered  and  reasonably  well  surveyed. 

As  illustrating  the  way  the  Spaniards  financially  cared 
for  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  their  frontier  posts  in  Alta 
California,  it  is  interesting  here  to  note  Governor  Neve’s 
provision  for  the  post  at  San  Francisco: 

“ The  annual  allowance  for  the  Post  of  San  Francisco  shall  be 
$8027.50,  divided  in  this  form  : 


Annual  pay  of  the  Lieutenant $550.00 

Ensign 400.00 

Sergeant 262.50 

4 Corporals  at  $225  900.00 

26  Privates  at  $217.50  5655.00 

Gratuity  from  Common  Fund,  $10  each  . . 260.00 

Total $8027.50 


SAN  FRANCISCO  DE  ASIS 


157 


To  each  settler  in  each  of  the  two  first  years, 

for  pay  and  rations $116.37^ 

For  rations  in  each  of  the  three  following 

years,  that  they  may  be  granted  him  . . . 60.00 

Palou  eventually  established  the  Mission  October  9, 
1776.  None  of  the  Indians  were  present  to  witness  the 
ceremony  as  they  had  fled,  the  preceding  month,  from 
the  attacks  of  certain  of  their  enemies.  When  they  re- 
turned in  December  they  brought  trouble  with  them. 
They  stole  all  in  their  reach ; one  party  discharged  arrows 
at  the  corporal  of  the  guard;  another  insulted  a soldier’s 
wife;  and  some  other  attempted  to  kill  the  San  Carlos 
neophyte  who  had  been  brought  here.  The  officer  shut 
up  one  of  these  hostiles,  whereat  a party  of  his  comrades 
rushed  to  the  rescue,  fired  their  arrows  at  the  Mission, 
and  were  only  driven  back  when  the  soldiers  arrived  and 
fired  their  muskets  in  the  air.  Next  day  the  sergeant 
went  out  to  make  arrests  and  another  struggle  ensued, 
in  which  one  was  killed  and  one  wounded.  All  now  sued 
for  peace,  which,  with  sundry  floggings,  was  granted. 
For  three  months  they  now  kept  away  from  the  Mission. 

In  1777  they  began  to  return,  and  on  October  4 the 
Padre  Serra,  on  his  first  visit,  was  able  to  say  mass  in 
the  presence  of  seventeen  adult  native  converts.  Then, 
passing  over  to  the  presidio  on  October  10,  as  he  stood 
gazing  on  the  waters  flowing  out  to  the  setting  sun  through 
the  purple  walls  of  the  Golden  Gate,  he  exclaimed  with 
a heart  too  full  of  thanksgiving  to  be  longer  restrained: 
“ Thanks  be  to  God  that  now  our  father  St.  Francis  with 
the  Holy  Cross  of  the  Procession  of  Missions,  has  reached 
the  last  limit  of  the  Californian  continent.  To  go  farther 
he  must  have  boats.” 

General  Vallejo  states  that  the  temporary  building 
erected  by  Palou  for  a church  was  about  a thousand  varas 
to  the  northwest  of  the  present  site.  The  small  lake  of 


158  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Dolores,  from  which  the  Mission  gained  its  popular  name, 
was  near  by,  but  as  the  city  has  grown  it  has  been  drained, 
filled  up,  and  is  now  built  over. 

On  the  14th  of  September,  1779,  two  vessels,  originally 
from  San  Bias,  on  an  exploring  expedition  north,  stopped 
at  San  Francisco  on  their  return  for  six  weeks,  to  recuper- 
ate the  health  of  the  scurvy-stricken  sailors.  One  of  the 
captains,  Bodega  y Cuadra,  presented  a bronze  image  of 
Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Remedios  to  the  San  Francisco  Mis- 
sion, and  it  was  placed  on  the  altar  with  most  impressive 
ceremonies  on  the  3d  of  October.  The  next  day  three 
natives  brought  from  the  northern  coast  were  baptized. 
Soon  a courier  arrived  from  Sonora,  announcing  the  death 
of  Viceroy  Bucareli,  and  that  war  was  declared  between 
Spain  and  England.  This  made  the  vessels  leave  in  haste. 

In  1782,  April  25,  the  corner-stone  of  a new  church  was 
laid  at  San  Francisco.  Three  padres  were  present,  to- 
gether with  the  Mission  guard  and  a body  of  troops  from 
the  presidio.  In  the  Mission  records  it  says : “ There  was 
enclosed  in  the  cavity  of  said  corner-stone  the  image  of  our 
Holy  Father  St.  Francis,  some  relics  in  the  form  of  bones 
of  St.  Pius  and  other  holy  martyrs,  five  medals  of  various 
saints,  and  a goodly  portion  of  silver  coin.” 

In  1785  Governor  Fages  complained  to  the  Viceroy, 
among  other  things,  that  the  presidio  of  San  Francisco 
had  been  deprived  of  mass  for  three  years,  notwithstand- 
ing the  obligation  of  the  friars  to  serve  as  chaplains. 
Palou  replied  that  the  padres  were  under  no  obligation  to 
serve  gratuitously,  and  that  they  were  always  ready  to 
attend  the  soldiers  when  their  other  duties  allow. 

In  November,  1787,  Captain  Soler,  who  for  a brief  time 
acted  as  temporary  governor  and  inspector,  suggested  that 
the  presidio  of  San  Francisco  be  abandoned  and  its  com- 
pany transferred  to  Santa  Barbara.  Later,  as  I have 
shown  elsewhere,  a proposition  was  again  made  for  the 
abandonment  of  San  Francisco ; so  it  is  apparent  that  Fate 


SAN  FRANCISCO  DE  ASIS  159 

herself  was  protecting  it  for  its  future  great  and  wonder- 
ful history. 

In  1790  San  Francisco  reported  551  baptisms  and  205 
deaths,  with  a present  neophyte  population  of  438.  Large 
stock  had  increased  to  2000  head  and  small  to  1700. 

Three  years  later,  on  November  14,  the  celebrated  Eng- 
lish navigator,  George  Vancouver,  in  his  vessel  44  Discov- 
ery,” sailed  into  San  Francisco  Bay.  His  arrival  caused 
quite  a flutter  of  excitement  both  at  the  presidio  and  Mis- 
sion, where  he  was  kindly  entertained.  The  Governor  was 
afraid  of  this  elaborate  hospitality  to  the  hated  and  feared 
English,  and  issued  orders  to  the  commandante  providing 
for  a more  frigid  reception  in  the  future,  so,  on  Van- 
couver’s second  visit,  he  did  not  find  matters  so  agreeable, 
and  grumbled  accordingly. 

Vancouver  gives  a description  of  the  Mission  buildings, 
etc.,  which  is  quite  interesting.  He  says  that  they  form 
two  sides  of  a square,  without  any  apparent  intention  of 
completing  the  quadrangle,  the  architecture  and  material 
being  as  at  the  presidio,  but  the  apartments  larger,  better 
constructed,  and  cleaner.  At  this  time  all  the  roofs  were  of 
thatch,  and  the  dwellings  of  the  Indians  were  huts  of  willow 
poles,  basket-work  of  twigs,  and  thatch  of  grass  and  tules, 
about  twelve  feet  high,  six  or  seven  feet  in  diameter,  and 
abominably  infested  with  every  kind  of  filth  and  nastiness. 
One  large  room  was  occupied  by  Indians  working  looms, 
making  blankets  from  native  wool.  46  The  looms,”  he  says, 
44  though  rudely  wrought,  were  tolerably  well  contrived, 
and  had  been  made  by  the  Indians.  The  produce  is  wholly 
applied  to  the  clothing  of  the  converted  Indians.  I saw 
some  of  the  cloth,  which  was  by  no  means  despicable ; and, 
had  it  received  the  advantages  of  fulling,  would  have  been 
a very  decent  kind  of  clothing.”  Borica,  however,  though 
he  ordered  that  Mission  blankets  should  henceforth  solely 
be  used  at  the  presidio,  refused  to  allow  the  padres  to  erect 
a fulling-mill.  A pottery  was  also  established  in  1796. 


160  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


In  March,  1795,  certain  neophytes  having  escaped  across 
the  bay  from  San  Francisco,  a band  of  their  fellows  was 
sent  to  bring  them  back.  After  two  days  of  marching  this 
band  was  attacked  by  gentile  Indians  and  eight  or  ten  of 
them  slain.  The  Governor  condemned  the  padres  for  their 
action  in  this  matter  and  refused  to  avenge  the  death  of 
the  slain,  as  the  gentiles,  though  warlike,  had  hitherto  been 
friendly.  In  June,  1797,  in  spite  of  the  attitude  of  the 
Governor,  another  party  was  sent  out  after  runaways,  and 
the  result  of  this  was  that  the  Sacalanes  threatened  to 
attack  the  Mission  San  Jose.  Sergeant  Amador  was  sent 
from  San  Francisco  to  investigate,  and  he  reported  to  the 
Governor  that  these  Indians  were  threatening  to  kill  the 
Christians  if  they  continued  to  work,  and  the  soldiers  if 
they  dared  to  interfere.  The  Governor  then  decided  to 
teach  these  haughty  savages  what  it  meant  to  defy  the 
Spanish  power,  and  a force  of  twenty-two  men  was  placed 
under  the  orders  of  Amador  to  capture  the  head  men  of 
the  tribe,  and  also  bring  back  the  fugitives.  In  the  fight 
which  ensued  two  soldiers  were  wounded  and  seven  natives 
killed;  but  Amador  returned  victorious  with  eighty-three 
of  the  escapes  and  nine  gentiles.  Borica  was  severe  with 
some  of  the  renegades,  condemning  them  to  receive  from 
twenty-five  to  seventy-five  lashes,  and  to  work  in  shackles 
at  the  presidio  from  two  months  to  a year.  In  the  exami- 
nation as  to  the  cause  of  the  neophytes  running  away,  they 
gave  as  their  reasons  excessive  flogging,  hunger,  and  the 
death  of  relatives.  Padre  Dantf,  one  of  the  padres  in 
charge  at  San  Francisco,  was  undoubtedly  very  harsh  and 
severe  in  his  treatment  of  the  Indians,  but  his  associate 
Fernandez  was  the  very  reverse.  All  were  glad  when 
D anti’s  term  of  service  expired  and  he  returned  to  Mexico. 

Tiles  were  made  and  put  on  the  church  roofs  in  1795; 
more  houses  were  built  for  the  neophytes,  and  all  roofed 
with  tiles.  Half  a league  of  ditch  was  also  dug  around  the 
potrero  (pasture  ground)  and  fields. 


SAN  FRANCISCO  DE  ASIS 


161 


In  1806  San  Francisco  was  enlivened  by  the  presence  of 
the  Russian  chamberlain,  Rezanof,  who  had  been  on  a spe- 
cial voyage  around  the  world,  and  was  driven  by  scurvy  and 
want  of  provisions  to  the  California  settlements.  He  was 
accompanied  by  Dr.  G.  H.  von  Langsdorff,  from  whom  I 
have  already  quoted.  Langsdorff’s  account  of  the  visit  and 
reception  at  several  points  in  California  is  interesting.  He 
gives  a full  description  of  the  Indians  and  their  method  of 
life  at  the  Mission;  commends  the  zeal  and  self-sacrifice  of 
the  padres ; speaks  of  the  ingenuity  shown  by  the  women  in 
making  baskets  ; the  system  of  allowing  the  cattle  and  horses 
to  run  wild,  etc.  Visiting  the  Mission  of  San  Jose  by  boat, 
he  and  his  companions  had  quite  an  adventurous  time  get- 
ting back,  owing  to  the  contrary  winds. 

In  1810  Moraga,  the  ensign  at  the  presidio,  was  sent 
with  seventeen  men  to  punish  the  gentiles  of  the  region  of 
the  Carquines  Strait,  who  for  several  years  had  been  har- 
rassing  the  neophytes  at  San  Francisco,  and  sixteen  of 
whom  they  had  killed.  Moraga  had  a hard  fight  against 
a hundred  and  twenty  of  them,  and  captured  eighteen, 
whom  he  soon  released,  “ as  they  were  all  sure  to  die  of 
their  wounds.”  The  survivors  retreated  to  their  huts  and 
made  a desperate  resistance,  and  were  so  determined  not 
to  be  captured  that,  when  one  hut  was  set  on  fire,  its  in- 
mates preferred  to  perish  in  the  flames  rather  than  to 
surrender.  A full  report  of  this  affair  was  sent  to  the 
King  of  Spain,  and  as  a result  he  promoted  Moraga  and 
other  officers,  and  increased  the  pay  of  some  of  the  soldiers. 
He  also  tendered  the  thanks  of  the  nation  to  all  the 
participants. 

Runaway  neophytes  gave  considerable  trouble  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  in  1819  a force  was  sent  from  San  Fran- 
cisco to  punish  these  recalcitrants  and  their  allies.  A sharp 
fight  took  place  near  the  site  of  the  present  Stockton,  in 
which  27  Indians  were  killed,  20  wounded,  and  16  captured, 
with  49  horses. 


11 


162  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


The  Mission  report  for  1821—30  shows  a decrease  in 
neophyte  population  from  1252  to  219,  though  this  was 
largely  caused  by  the  sending  of  neophytes  to  the  newly 
founded  Missions  of  San  Rafael  and  San  Francisco  Solano, 

San  Francisco  was  secularized  in  1834-35,  with  Joaquin 
Estudillo  as  comisionado.  The  valuation  in  1835  was  real 
estate  and  fixtures,  $25,800;  church  property,  $17,800; 
available  assets  in  excess  of  debts  (chiefly  live-stock), 
$16,400,  or  a total  of  $60,000.  If  any  property  was  ever 
divided  among  the  Indians  there  is  no  record  to  show  it. 

On  June  5,  1845,  Pio  Pico’s  proclamation  was  made, 
requiring  the  Indians  of  Dolores  Mission  to  reunite  and 
occupy  it  or  it  would  be  declared  abandoned  and  disposed 
of  for  the  general  good  of  the  department.  A fraudulent 
title  to  the  Mission  was  given,  and  antedated  February  10, 
1845 ; but  it  was  afterwards  declared  void,  and  the  build- 
ing was  duly  returned  to  the  custody  of  the  archbishop, 
under  whose  direction  it  still  remains. 

After  Commodore  Sloat  had  taken  possession  of  Mon- 
terey for  the  United  States,  in  1846,  it  was  merely  the 
work  of  a day  or  so  to  get  despatches  to  Captain  Mont- 
gomery, of  the  ship  “ Portsmouth,”  who  immediately  raised 
the  stars  and  stripes,  and  thus  the  city  of  the  Golden  Gate 
entered  into  American  possession.  While  the  city  was 
materially  concerned  in  the  events  immediately  following 
the  occupation,  the  Mission  was  already  too  nearly  dead  to 
participate.  In  1846  the  bishop  succeeded  in  finding  a 
curate  for  a short  period,  but  nothing  in  the  records  can 
be  found  as  to  the  final  disposition  of  the  property  belong- 
ing to  the  ex-Mission.  In  the  political  caldron  it  had 
totally  disappeared. 

The  graveyard  of  Dolores  is  an  interesting  old  place, 
and  it  is  a great  pity  that  it  and  the  old  Mission  church 
are  not  made  more  accessible  to  visitors.  Saturdays  and 
Sundays  only  are  they  admitted.  It  is  scarcely  in  keeping 
with  the  progressive  spirit  of  the  leaders  of  the  great 


SAN  FRANCISCO  DE  ASIS 


163 


church  that  controls  these  sacred  memorials  of  the  past  that 
such  slight  facilities  are  offered  to  the  people  who  are  the 
heirs  of  their  history.  At  the  least,  certain  hours  — ex- 
tended enough  not  to  be  prohibitive  — should  be  set  aside 
in  each  day  of  the  week,  when  all  who  come  in  the  proper 
spirit  may  have  full  — if  not  free  — entrance  to  them. 

In  the  early  days  the  Mission  Indians  were  buried  in  the 
graveyard,  then  the  soldiers  and  settlers,  Spanish  and 
Mexican,  and  the  priests,  and,  later,  the  Americanos.  But 
all  is  neglected  and  uncared  for,  except  by  Nature,  and, 
after  all,  perhaps  it  is  better  so.  The  kindly  spirited 
Earth  Mother  has  given  forth  vines  and  myrtle  and  ivy 
and  other  plants  in  profusion,  that  have  hidden  the  old 
gravelled  walks  and  the  broken  flags.  Rose-bushes  grow 
untrimmed,  untrained,  and  frankly  beautiful;  while  pep- 
per and  cypress  wave  gracefully  and  poetically  suggest 
tive  over  graves  of  high  and  low,  historic  and  unknown. 
For  here  are  names  carved  on  stone  denoting  that  beneath 
lie  buried  those  who  helped  make  California  history.  Just 
at  the  side  entrance  of  the  church  is  a stone  with  this  in- 
scription to  the  first  governor  of  California : “ Aqui 
yacen  los  restos  del  Capitan  Don  Luis  Antonio  Argiiello, 
Primer  Gobernador  del  Alta  California,  Bajo  el  Gobierno 
Mejicano.  Nacioen  San  Francisco  el  21  de  Junio,  1774, 
y murioen  el  mismo  lugar  el  27  de  Marzo,  1830.” 

Farther  along  is  a brown  stone  monument,  erected  by  the 
members  of  the  famous  fire  company,  to  Casey,  who  was 
hung  by  the  Vigilantes  — Casey,  who  shot  James  King  of 
William.  The  monument,  adorned  with  firemen’s  helmets 
and  bugles  in  stone,  stands  under  the  shadow  of  drooping 
pepper  sprays,  and  is  inscribed : “ Sacred  to  the  memory 
of  James  P.  Casey,  who  Departed  this  life  May  23-1856 
Aged  27  years.  May  God  forgive  my  Persecutors.  Requi- 
escat  en  pace.” 

Poor,  sad  Dolores!  How  utterly  lost  it  now  looks,  sur- 
rounded by  parvenu  buildings  of  pretentious  greatness, 


164  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


and  led  up  to  by  asphalt  pavements  and  cement  sidewalks. 
It  is  forlorn  and  neglected.  The  tiles  on  its  roof  and  ridge 
are  irregular  and  uneven.  The  wooden  cross  on  the  front 
is  old  and  staggering.  Even  the  fachada  has  been  de- 
graded with  a new  coat  of  whitewash,  so  that  all  its  time- 
honored  wrinkles  are  gone. 


SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


165 


CHAPTER  XII 

SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 

ON  the  tragic  events  at  San  Diego  that  led  to  the 
delay  in  the  founding  of  San  Juan  Capistrano 
I have  already  fully  dwelt.  The  Mission  was 
founded  by  Serra,  November  1,  1776,  and  the  adobe  church 
recently  restored  by  the  Landmarks  Club  is  said  to  be  the 
original  church  built  at  that  time. 

Troubles  began  here  early,  as  at  San  Gabriel,  owing  to 
the  immorality  of  the  guards  with  the  Indian  women,  and 
in  one  disturbance  three  Indians  were  killed  and  several 
wounded.  In  1781  the  padre  feared  another  uprising, 
owing  to  incitements  of  the  Colorado  River  Indians,  who 
came  here  across  the  desert  and  sought  to  arouse  the  local 
Indians  to  revolt. 

In  1787  Governor  Fages  reported  that  San  Juan  was  in 
a thoroughly  prosperous  condition;  lands  were  fertile, 
ministers  faithful  and  zealous,  and  natives  well  disposed. 
In  1800  the  number  of  neophytes  was  1046,  horses  and 
cattle  8500,  while  it  had  the  vast  number  of  17000  sheep. 
Crops  were  6800  bushels,  and  in  1797  the  presidios  of 
Santa  Barbara  and  San  Diego  owed  San  Juan  Mission  over 
$6000  for  supplies  furnished.  In  1794  two  large  adobe 
granaries  with  tile  roofs,  and  forty  houses  for  neophytes 
were  built.  In  February,  1797,  work  was  begun  on  the 
church,  the  remains  of  which  are  now  to  be  seen.  It  is  in 
the  form  of  a Roman  cross,  ninety  feet  wide  and  a hundred 
and  eighty  feet  long,  and  was  planned  by  Fray  Gorgonio. 
It  was  probably  the  finest  of  all  the  California  Mission 
structures.  Built  of  quarried  stone,  with  arched  roof  of 


166  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


the  same  material  and  a lofty  tower  adorning  its  fachada , 
it  justifies  the  remark  that  “ it  could  not  be  duplicated 
to-day  under  $100,000.” 

The  stone-work  facings  at  San  Juan  Capistrano  are 
more  elaborate  than  at  any  other  Mission.  The  few  speci- 
mens illustrated  show  that  the  mason  was  a master  crafts- 
man, and  he  was  given  every  opportunity  to  display  his 
skill.  In  the  ruins  of  the  altar  are  many  pieces  of  exquisite 
work,  especially  in  the  two  arched  doorways  leading  into 
the  sacristy.  The  stone-work  is  well  carved.  Both  door- 
ways are  now  walled  up.  The  window-frames  are  of  stone, 
resting  upon  a three-membered  sill.  Above  the  frame  is  a 
similar  three-membered  detached  cornice  of  stone.  The 
master  mason  who  did  all  this  work  was  brought  specially 
for  the  purpose  from  Culiacan,  and  under  his  direction 
the  work  slowly  but  steadily  progressed  for  nine  years. 

The  baptismal  font  and  holy  water  receptacle  were 
doubtless  made  here,  and  by  the  same  artist  that  cut  the 
stone  for  the  building.  It  is  scarcely  to  be  assumed  that 
such  heavy  objects  as  these  stone  baptismal  fonts  would  be 
imported,  when  they  could  be  manufactured  on  the  ground 
much  more  easily. 

A weaver,  Mariano  Mendoza,  was  sent  down  from  Mon- 
terey to  teach  the  Indians  his  art.  This  was  in  1796.  He 
was  under  contract  to  the  government  at  thirty  dollars  a 
month,  and  the  San  Juan  padre  was  instructed  that  if  he 
neglected  his  work  he  was  to  be  chained  up  at  night.  Soon 
the  rattle  and  clatter  of  his  rude  loom  was  heard,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  many  of  the  natives  were  making  rude  but 
serviceable  cloth  and  blankets.  In  1797,  as  a call  was  made 
for  pay  for  his  services,  Mendoza  was  dismissed.  The  fact 
was  his  pupils  had  learned  all  he  could  teach. 

The  country  was  much  agitated  by  fear  of  an  English 
invasion  in  1797,  and,  remembering  that  Vancouver  had 
been  there  four  years  previously  and  had  made  careful 
observations,  a sentinel  was  placed  on  the  lookout  at  the 


Plate  XXV 


b.  PRESIDIO  CHURCH,  MONTEREY 


SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


167 


beach  to  watch  for  suspicious  vessels.  Nothing  alarming, 
however,  appears  to  have  been  reported. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  little  or  no  communication 
was  permitted  between  the  Californians  and  any  foreign 
vessel  which  might  appear  on  the  coast.  Spain  was  very 
jealous  of  her  Pacific  possessions.  Trade  was  either 
forbidden  or  very  much  restricted.  Yet,  being  between  the 
sea-coast  presidios  of  San  Diego  and  Santa  Barbara,  it 
seemed  impossible  to  prevent  vessels  from  stopping  at  San 
Juan  Capistrano.  And  if  a padre  needed  something  that 
the  captain  had,  and  the  captain  needed  something  that 
the  padre  had,  what  more  natural  than  that  the  exchange 
should  take  place?  — purely  as  a friendly  act,  not  as  a 
matter  of  trade  between  people  of  different  nationalities. 

The  carelessness  of  servants  had  an  illustration  here  in 
March,  1801,  when  the  storeroom  was  set  on  fire,  and 
2400  bushels  of  grain  and  six  tons  of  tallow  were  lost,  as 
well  as  considerable  damage  suffered  by  the  other  buildings. 

The  consecration  of  the  beautiful  new  church  took  place, 
September  7,  1806.  President  Tapis  was  aided  by  padres 
from  many  Missions,  and  the  scene  was  made  gorgeous  and 
brilliant  by  the  presence  of  Governor  Arrillaga  and  his 
staff,  with  many  soldiers  from  San  Diego  and  Santa  Bar- 
bara. Large  numbers  of  neophytes  from  other  Missions 
were  also  permitted  to  be  present  at  the  rites,  and  it  was 
one  of  the  most  elaborate  and  pretentious  events  in  early 
Californian  history.  What  congratulations  and  f eastings 
indoors  and  out  there  must  have  been ; the  visiting  padres 
and  the  Governor  and  other  officials  being  regaled  with 
the  best  the  Mission  afforded,  and  the  hordes  of  Indians 
crowding  the  rancherias  outside,  and,  likewise,  feasting 
on  the  abundance  provided  for  them  on  so  auspicious  an 
occasion. 

The  following  day  another  mass  was  said  and  sermon 
preached,  and  on  the  9th  the  bones  of  Padre  Vicente  Fuster 
were  transferred  to  their  final  resting-place  within  the 


168  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


altar  of  the«  new  church.  A solemn  requiem  mass  was 
chanted,  thus  adding  to  the  solemnity  of  the  occasion. 

This  altar  had  nine  niches  for  statuary,  all  well  executed. 
The  ceiling  was  groined,  and  the  apse  being  six-sided,  it 
allowed  the  erection  of  five  beautiful  connecting  arches 
above.  Three  steps  led  up  from  the  church  to  the  altar. 

The  church  itself  originally  had  seven  domes.  Only  two 
now  remain.  In  the  earthquake  of  1812,  when  the  tower 
fell,  one  of  the  domes  was  crushed,  but  the  others  remained 
fairly  solid  and  intact  until  the  sixties  of  the  last  century, 
when,  with  a zeal  that  outran  all  discretion,  and  that  the 
fool-killer  should  have  been  permitted  to  restrain,  they  were 
blown  up  with  gunpowder  by  mistaken  friends  who  ex- 
pected to  rebuild  the  church  with  the  same  material,  but 
never  did  so. 

This  earthquake  of  1812  was  felt  almost  the  whole 
length  of  the  Mission  chain,  and  it  did  much  damage.  It 
was  on  Sunday  morning,  December  8.  At  San  Juan  a 
number  of  neophytes  were  at  morning  mass ; the  day  had 
opened  with  intense  sultriness  and  heaviness ; the  air  was 
hot  and  seemed  charged  with  electricity.  Suddenly  a shock 
was  felt.  All  were  alarmed,  but,  devoted  to  his  high  office, 
the  padre  began  again  the  solemn  words,  when,  suddenly, 
the  second  shock  came  and  sent  the  great  tower  crashing 
down  upon  one  of  the  domes  or  vaults,  and  in  a moment 
the  whole  mass  of  masonry  came  down  upon  the  congrega- 
tion. Thirty-nine  were  buried  in  the  next  two  days,  and 
four  were  taken  out  of  the  ruins  later.  The  officiating 
priest  escaped,  as  by  a miracle,  through  the  sacristy. 

After  he  had  made  his  pledges  to  leave  California,  Bou- 
chard, the  South  American  revolutionist,  stopped  two  days 
at  San  Juan,  but  as  all  the  valuables  and  the  families  had 
been  removed  to  Trabuco  rancho  he  found  little.  Nor  could 
he  have  taken  it  without  a fight,  as  Ensign  Argiiello,  with 
thirty  soldiers  from  San  Diego,  was  there  for  the  purpose 
of  preventing  any  such  effort. 


SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


169 


It  was  in  1814  that  Padre  Boscana,  who  had  been  serv- 
ing at  San  Luis  Rey,  came  to  reside  at  San  Juan  Capis- 
trano, where  he  wrote  the  interesting  account  of  the  Indians 
that  is  so  often  quoted.  In  1812  its  population  gained  its 
greatest  figure,  1861. 

In  November,  1833,  Figueroa  secularized  the  Mission 
by  organizing  a 44  provisional  pueblo  ” of  the  Indians,  and 
claiming  that  the  padres  voluntarily  gave  up  the  tempo- 
ralities. There  is  no  record  of  any  inventory,  and  what 
became  of  the  church  property  is  not  known.  Lands  were 
apportioned  to  the  Indians  by  Captain  Portilla.  The  fol- 
lowing year,  most  probably,  all  this  provisional  work  of 
Figueroa’s  was  undone,  and  the  Mission  was  secularized  in 
the  ordinary  way,  but  in  1838  the  Indians  begged  for  the 
pueblo  organization  again,  and  freedom  from  overseers, 
whether  lay  or  clerical.  In  1840  Padre  Zalvidea  was  in- 
structed to  emancipate  them  from  Mission  rule  as  speedily 
as  possible.  Janssens  was  appointed  majordomo,  and  he 
reported  that  he  zealously  worked  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Mission,  repairing  broken  fences  and  ditches,  bringing 
back  runaway  neophytes,  clothing  them  and  caring  for  the 
stock.  But  orders  soon  began  to  come  in  for  the  delivery 
of  cattle  and  horses,  applications  rapidly  came  in  for 
grants  of  the  Mission  ranches,  and  about  the  middle  of 
June,  1841,  the  lands  were  divided  among  the  ex-neophytes, 
about  100  in  number,  and  some  forty  whites.  At  the  end 
of  July  regulations  were  published  for  the  foundation  of 
the  pueblo,  and  Don  Juan  Bandini  soon  thereafter  went  to 
supervise  the  work.  He  remained  until  March,  1842,  in 
charge  of  the  community  property,  and  then  left  about 
half  a dozen  white  families  and  twenty  or  more  ex-neo- 
phytes  duly  organized  as  a pueblo. 

In  1843  San  Juan  was  one  of  the  Missions  the  tempo- 
ralities of  which  were  to  be  restored  to  the  padres,  provided 
they  paid  one-eighth  of  all  produce  into  the  public  treas- 
ury. In  1844  it  was  reported  that  San  Juan  had  no  minis- 


170  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


ter,  and  all  its  neophytes  were  scattered.  In  1845  Pico’s 
decree  was  published,  stating  that  it  was  to  be  considered 
a pueblo ; the  church,  curate’s  house,  and  courthouse 
should  be  reserved,  and  the  rest  of  the  property  sold  at 
auction  for  the  payment  of  debts  and  the  support  of  public 
worship.  In  December  of  that  year  the  ex-Mission  build- 
ings and  gardens  were  sold  to  Forster  and  McKinley  for 
$710,  the  former  of  whom  retained  possession  for  many 
years.  In  1846  the  pueblo  was  reported  as  possessing  a 
population  of  113  souls. 

Of  the  present  appearance  of  San  Juan  I have  written 
in  the  chapter  on  architecture,  and  especially  of  its  preser- 
vation in  the  chapter  on  the  work  of  the  Landmarks  Club. 

Twenty  years  ago  there  used  to  be  one  of  the  best  of  the 
Mission  libraries  at  San  Juan.  The  books  were  all  in  old- 
style  leather,  sheepskin  and  parchment  bindings,  some  of 
them  tied  with  leathern  thongs,  and  a few  having  heavy 
home-made  metal  clasps.  They  were  all  in  Latin  or  Span- 
ish, and  were  well  known  books  of  divinity.  The  first  page 
of  the  record  of  marriages  was  written  and  signed  by 
Junipero  Serra. 

There  are  still  several  interesting  relics ; among  others, 
two  instruments,  doubtless  Indian-made,  used  during  the 
Easter  services.  One  is  a board  studded  with  handle-like 
irons,  which,  when  moved  rapidly  from  side  to  side,  makes 
a hideous  noise.  Another  is  a three-cornered  box,  on  which 
are  similar  irons,  and  in  this  a loose  stone  is  rattled.  In  the 
service  called  44  las  tinieblas,”  — the  utter  darkness,  — ex- 
pressive of  the  darkness  after  the  crucifixion,  when  the 
church  is  absolutely  without  light,  the  appalling  effect  of 
these  noises,  heightened  by  the  clanking  of  chains,  is 
indescribable. 

In  proof  of  the  tireless  industry  of  the  priests  and  In- 
dians of  their  charge,  there  are  to  be  found  at  San  Juan 
many  ruins  of  the  aqueducts,  or  flumes,  some  of  brick, 
others  of  wood,  supported  across  ravines,  which  conveyed 


SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


171 


the  water  needed  to  irrigate  the  eighty  acres  of  orchard, 
vineyard,  and  garden  that  used  to  be  surrounded  by  an 
adobe  wall.  Reservoirs,  cisterns,  and  zanjas  of  brick, 
stone,  and  cement  are  seen  here  and  there,  and  several  rem- 
nants of  the  masonry  aqueducts  are  still  found  in  the 
village. 


172  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF.  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XIII 

SANTA  CLARA  DE  ASIS 

RIVERA  delayed  the  founding  of  San  Francisco 
and  Santa  Clara  for  reasons  of  his  own ; and 
- when,  in  September,  1776,  he  received  a letter 
from  Viceroy  Bucareli,  in  which  were  references  clearly 
showing  that  it  was  supposed  by  the  writer  that  they  were 
already  established,  he  set  to  work  without  further  delay, 
and  went  with  Padre  Pena,  as  already  related.  The  Mis- 
sion was  duly  founded  January  12,  1777.  A square  of 
seventy  yards  was  set  off  and  buildings  at  once  begun. 
Cattle  and  other  Mission  property  were  sent  down  from 
San  Francisco  and  San  Carlos,  and  the  guard  returned. 
But  it  was  not  long  before  the  Indians  developed  an  unholy 
love  for  contraband  beef,  and  Moraga  and  his  soldiers 
were  sent  for  to  capture  and  punish  the  thieves.  Three  of 
them  were  killed,  but  even  then  depredations  occasionally 
continued.  At  the  end  of  the  year  there  had  been  sixty- 
seven  baptisms,  including  eight  adults,  and  twenty-five 
deaths. 

The  present  is  the  third  site  occupied  by  Santa  Clara. 
The  Mission  was  originally  established  some  three  miles 
away,  near  Alviso,  at  the  headwaters  of  the  San  Francisco 
Bay,  near  the  river  Guadalupe,  on  a site  called  by  the  In- 
dians So-co-is-u-ka  (laurel  wood).  It  was  probably  located 
there  on  account  of  its  being  the  chief  rendezvous  of  the 
Indians,  fishing  being  good,  the  river  having  an  abundance 
of  salmon  trout.  The  Mission  remained  there  only  a short 
time,  as  the  waters  rose  twice  in  1779,  and  washed  it  out. 
Then  the  padres  removed,  in  1780-82,  and  built  about  150 


Plate  XXVI 


«.  ENTRANCE  TO  SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO  CHAPEL 


b.  ELLIPTICAL  ARCHES  OF  DIFFERING  AXES,  SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


SANTA  CLARA  DE  ASIS 


173 


yards  southwest  of  the  present  broad-gauge  (Southern 
Pacific)  depot,  where  quite  recently  traces  were  found  of 
the  old  adobe  walls.  They  remained  at  this  spot,  deeming 
the  location  good,  until  an  earthquake  in  1812  gave  them 
considerable  trouble.  A second  earthquake  in  1818  so 
injured  their  buildings  that  they  felt  compelled  to  move  to 
the  present  site,  which  has  been  occupied  ever  since.  The 
Mission  church  and  other  buildings  were  begun  in  1818, 
and  finally  dedicated  in  1822.  The  site  was  called  by  the 
Indians  Gerguensun  — the  Valley  of  the  Oaks. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  second  church  was  laid  Novem- 
ber 19,  1781,  and  the  building  was  completed  in  1784.  It 
was  dedicated  May  15,  by  Serra,  Palou,  and  Pena,  in  the 
presence  of  Fages  and  Moraga.  The  occasion  was  a sad 
one  for  Serra,  as  only  four  days  previously  Palou  had 
buried  Murguia,  its  architect,  within  its  walls.  It  was  the 
most  beautiful  and  elaborate  church,  up  to  that  time, 
erected  in  California. 

In  agricultural  advantages  Santa  Clara  was  deemed 
second  only  to  San  Gabriel,  and  crops  of  grain  and  fruit 
were  both  good,  thus  early  foreshadowing  the  heavy  har- 
vests, especially  of  the  latter,  for  which  the  whole  valley  is 
now  noted  throughout  the  world.  In  1790  Santa  Clara 
stood  third  in  the  number  of  its  converts. 

On  the  29th  of  November,  1777,  the  pueblo  of  San  Jose 
was  founded.  The  padres  protested  at  the  time  that  it  was 
too  near  the  Mission  of  Santa  Clara,  and  for  the  next 
decade  there  was  constant  irritation,  owing  to  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  white  settlers  upon  the  lands  of  the  Indians. 
Complaints  were  made  and  formally  acted  upon,  and  in 
July,  1801,  the  boundaries  were  surveyed,  as  asked  for  by 
the  padres,  and  landmarks  clearly  marked  and  agreed  upon 
so  as  to  prevent  future  disputes. 

In  1793  Vancouver  visited  Santa  Clara  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  describes  the  Mission  buildings  as  forming  an 
incomplete  square  of  about  100  by  170  feet.  Even  though 


174  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


this  was  the  second  site  chosen,  they  were  in  a low,  marshy 
spot,  and  quite  recently  the  padres  had  been  confined  to 
their  house  with  a flood.  A roof  of  tiles  was  put  on  the 
church  in  1795,  and  it  was  also  lengthened  twenty-four 
feet.  The  natives  were  busily  engaged  in  weaving,  tan- 
ning, and  shoemaking. 

In  1794  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco 
was  almost  unknown,  and  in  November  the  padres  of  Santa 
Clara  petitioned  to  be  allowed  to  go  on  a gentile  hunting 
expedition,  alleging  that  it  would  be  an  easy  task,  as  the 
drought  had  made  the  supply  of  food  very  short;  but  the 
commandante  at  San  Francisco  refused,  because  the  coun- 
try was  “ almost  unknown,”  the  natives  perverse,  and  the 
adventure  too  hazardous. 

In  1800  Santa  Clara  was  the  banner  Mission  for  popu- 
lation, having  1247.  Live-stock  had  increased  to  about 
5000  head  of  each  (cattle  and  horses),  and  crops  were 
good. 

For  several  years  after  1800  there  was  considerable 
trouble  with  the  Indians,  — hunting  for  a chief,  sending 
after  runaways,  fights,  and  killings.  In  May,  1805,  quite 
an  alarm  was  caused  by  the  discovery  on  the  roof  of  the 
missionaries’  house  of  a neophyte  and  a gentile  who,  it  was 
alleged,  were  reconnoitring  for  a projected  attack  in 
which  the  whole  Mission  was  to  be  burned  and  the  padres 
killed.  Troops  were  sent  from  San  Francisco  and  Mon- 
terey, arrests  made;  but  careful  investigation  showed  the 
whole  thing  to  be  a canard , spread  abroad  by  some  lazy 
neophytes  to  frighten  the  padres  so  that  they  would  escape 
certain  promised  floggings. 

In  1802,  August  12,  a grand  high  altar,  which  had 
been  obtained  in  Mexico,  was  consecrated  with  elaborate 
ceremonies. 

Padre  Viader  was  a very  muscular  and  athletic  man; 
and  one  night,  in  1814,  a young  gentile  giant,  named  Mar- 
celo,  and  two  companions  attacked  him.  In  the  rough  and 


SANTA  CLARA  DE  ASIS 


175 


tumble  fight  which  ensued  the  padre  came  out  ahead ; and 
after  giving  the  culprits  a severe  homily  on  the  sin  of  at- 
tacking a priest,  they  were  pardoned,  Marcelo  becoming 
one  of  his  best  and  most  faithful  friends  thereafter.  Rob- 
inson says  Viader  was  “ a good  old  man,  whose  heart  and 
soul  were  in  proportion  to  his  immense  figure.” 

In  1820  the  neophyte  population  was  1357,  stock  5024, 
horses  722,  sheep  12,060.  The  maximum  of  population 
was  reached  in  1827,  of  1464  souls.  After  that  it  began 
rapidly  to  decline.  The  crops,  too,  were  smaller  after  1820, 
without  any  apparent  reason. 

In  1837  secularization  was  effected  by  Ramon  Estrada. 
In  1839-40  reports  show  that  two-thirds  of  the  cattle  and 
sheep  had  disappeared.  The  downfall  of  the  Mission  was 
very  rapid.  The  neophyte  population  in  1832  was  1125, 
in  1834  about  800,  and  at  the  end  of  the  decade  about  290, 
with  150  more  scattered  in  the  district. 

The  totals  of  baptisms  from  1777  to  1834  is  8640,  of 
deaths  6950. 

The  old  register  of  marriages  records  3222  weddings 
from  January  12,  1778,  to  August  15,  1863. 

In  1833  Padre  Viader  closed  his  missionary  service  of 
nearly  forty  years  in  California  by  leaving  the  country, 
and  Padre  Francisco  Garcia  Diego,  the  prefect  of  the 
Zacatecan  friars,  became  his  successor.  Diego  afterwards 
became  the  first  bishop  of  California. 

In  July,  1839,  a party  called  Yozcolos,  doubtless  after 
their  leader,  attacked  the  neophytes  guarding  the  Santa 
Clara  wheat-fields,  killing  one  of  them.  The  attackers 
were  pursued,  and  their  leader  slain,  and  the  placing  of  his 
head  on  a pole  seemed  to  act  as  a deterrent  of  further  acts 
for  awhile. 

In  December  of  the  same  year  Prado  Mesa  made  an 
expedition  against  gentile  thieves  in  the  region  of  the  Stan- 
islaus River.  He  was  surprised  by  the  foe,  three  of  his  men 
killed,  and  he  and  six  others  wounded,  besides  losing  a num- 


176  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


ber  of  his  weapons.  This  Indian  success  caused  great 
alarm,  and  a regular  patrol  was  organized  to  operate  be- 
tween San  Jose  and  San  Juan  Missions  for  the  protection 
of  the  ranchos.  This  uprising  of  the  Indians  was  almost 
inevitable.  Deprived  of  their  maintenance  at  the  Missions, 
they  were  practically  thrown  on  their  own  resources,  and 
in  many  cases  this  left  them  a prey  to  the  evil  leadership 
of  desperate  men  of  their  own  class. 

Santa  Clara  was  one  of  the  Missions  immediately  af- 
fected by  the  decree  of  Micheltorena,  of  March  29,  1843, 
requiring  that  the  padres  reassume  the  management  of  the 
temporalities.  They  set  to  work  to  gather  up  what  frag- 
ments they  could  find,  but  the  flocks  and  herds  were  “ lent  ” 
where  they  could  not  be  recovered,  and  one  flock  of  4000 
sheep  — the  padre  says  6000  — were  taken  by  M.  J.  Val- 
lejo, “ legally,  in  aid  of  the  government.” 

Pio  Pico’s  decree  of  June  5,  1845,  affected  Santa  Clara. 
Andres  Pico  made  a valuation  of  the  property  at  $16,173. 
There  were  then  130  ex-neophytes,  the  live-stock  had 
dwindled  down  to  430  cattle,  215  horses,  and  809  sheep. 
The  padre  found  it  necessary  to  write  a sharp  letter  to  the 
alcalde  of  San  Jose  on  the  grog-shops  of  that  pueblo, 
which  encouraged  drinking  among  his  Indians  to  such 
extent  that  they  were  completely  demoralized. 

Santa  Clara  saw  exciting  times  both  at  the  revolution 
against  Micheltorena  and  against  the  Americans  after 
Fremont  had  gone  South.  In  the  latter  there  were  about 
200  native  Californians  to  100  of  the  Americans  from  San 
Francisco;  but  the  “fight”  amounted  to  nothing,  and 
when  the  forces  from  San  Francisco  entered  Santa  Clara 
Mission,  a truce  was  arranged,  the  complaints  of  the  Cal- 
ifornians only  listened  to,  recorded  on  paper,  promised  re- 
dress, and  the  conflict  was  over. 

Santa  Clara  Mission  was  now  a regular  parish  church, 
Padre  Real  becoming  the  parish  priest.  In  1846  he  was 
authorized  to  sell  the  Mission  lands  to  pay  debts  and  sup- 


SANTA  CLARA  DE  ASIS 


177 


port  himself  and  the  church;  and  certain  men  afterwards 
claimed  they  bought  the  orchard  and  buildings  belonging  to 
it  for  $1200.  But  the  courts  afterwards  decided  that  their 
pretended  deed  was  fraudulent.  Immigrants  gave  the 
padre  considerable  trouble  by  taking  possession  of  the 
Mission  buildings,  but  the  Governor  threatened  to  evict 
them  by  force,  so  they  came  to  the  padre’s  terms. 

March  19,  1851,  the  parish  priest,  who  was  a cultivated 
and  learned  Jesuit,  and  who  had  prepared  the  way,  suc- 
ceeded in  having  the  Santa  Clara  College  established  in  the 
old  Mission  buildings.  On  the  28th  of  April,  1855,  it  was 
chartered  with  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  a university. 
In  due  time  the  college  grew  to  large  proportions,  and  it 
was  found  imperative  either  to  remove  the  old  Mission 
structure  completely,  or  renovate  it  out  of  all  recognition. 
This  latter  was  done,  so  that  but  little  of  the  old  church 
remains. 

In  restoring  it  in  1861—62  the  nave  was  allowed  to  re- 
main, but  in  1885  it  was  found  necessary  to  remove  it.  Its 
walls  were  five  feet  thick.  The  adobe  bricks  were  thrown 
out  upon  the  plaza  behind  the  cross. 

The  present  occupation  of  Santa  Clara  as  a college  as 
well  as  a church  necessitated  the  adaptation  of  the  old 
cloisters  to  meet  the  modern  conditions.  Therefore  the 
casual  visitor  would  scarcely  notice  that  the  reception-room 
into  which  he  is  ushered  is  a part  of  the  old  cloisters.  The 
walls  are  about  three  feet  thick,  and  are  of  adobe.  In  the 
garden  the  beams  of  the  cloister  roofs  are  to  be  seen. 

The  old  Mission  vineyard,  where  the  grapes  used  to 
thrive,  is  now  converted  into  a garden.  A number  of  the 
old  olive  trees  still  remain.  Two  of  the  three  original  bells 
of  the  Mission  still  remain.  One  was  broken  and  had  to 
be  recast  in  San  Francisco. 

On  the  altar,  there  are  angels  with  flambeaux  in  their 
hands,  of  wooden  carving.  These  are  deemed  the  work  of 
the  Indians.  There  are  also  several  old  statues  of  the 

12 


178  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


saints,  including  San  Joaquin,  Santa  Ana,  San  Juan  Capis- 
trano, and  Santa  Colette.  In  the  sodality  chapel,  also, 
there  are  statues  of  San  Francisco  and  San  Antonio.  The 
altar  rail  of  the  restored  Santa  Clara  church  was  made 
from  the  beams  of  the  old  Mission.  These  were  of  redwood, 
secured  from  the  Santa  Cruz  mountains,  and,  I believe, 
are  the  earliest  specimens  of  redwood  used  for  lumber  in 
California.  The  rich  natural  coloring  and  the  beauty 
of  the  grain  and  texture  have  improved  with  the  years.  The 
old  octagonal  pulpit,  though  not  now  used,  is  restored  and 
honored,  standing  upon  a modern  pedestal. 

Santa  Clara  was  noted  for  the  longevity  of  some  of  its 
Indians.  One  of  them,  Gabriel,  who  died  in  1891  or  1892 
at  the  hospital  in  Salinas,  claimed  he  was  a grandfather 
when  Serra  came  in  1767.  He  must  have  been  over  150 
years  old  when  he  died.  Another,  Inigo,  was  known  to  be 
101  years  of  age  at  his  death. 

In  a room  in  the  college  building  is  gathered  together 
an  interesting  collection  of  articles  belonging  to  the  old 
Mission.  Here  are  the  chairs  of  the  sanctuary,  proces- 
sional candlesticks,  pictures,  and  the  best  bound  book  in  the 
State  — an  old  choral.  It  rests  on  a stand  at  the  end  of 
the  room.  The  lids  are  of  wood,  covered  with  thick  leather 
and  bound  in  very  heavy  bronze,  with  bosses  half  an  inch 
high.  Each  corner  also  has  bronze  protuberances,  half  an 
inch  long,  that  stand  out  on  the  bottom,  or  edge  of  the 
cover,  so  that  they  raise  the  whole  book.  The  volume  is 
of  heaviest  vellum  and  is  entirely  hand-written  in  red  and 
black;  and  though  a century  or  more  has  passed  since  it 
was  written  it  is  clear  and  perfect.  It  has  139  pages.  The 
brothers  of  the  college  have  placed  this  inscription  over  it: 
“ Ancient  choral,  whose  wooden  cover,  leather  bound  and 
covered  in  bronze,  came,  probably,  originally  from  Spain, 
and  has  age  of  some  500  years.” 

In  a case  which  extends  across  the  room  are  ancient 
vestments,  the  key  of  the  old  Mission,  statuary  brackets 


Plate  XXVII 


PAINTING  OF  THE  MIRACLE  OF  THE  LOAVES  AND  FISHES,  SANTA  CLARA 


SANTA  CLARA  DE  ASIS 


179 


from  the  ancient  altar,  the  altar  bell,  crown  of  thorns  from 
the  Mission  crucifix,  altar  card-frames,  and  the  rosary  and 
crucifix  that  once  belonged  to  Padre  Magin  Catala. 

On  the  walls  are  some  of  the  ancient  paintings,  one  es- 
pecially noteworthy.  It  is  of  Christ  multiplying  the  loaves 
and  fishes  (John  vi.  11).  While  it  is  not  a great  work  of 
art,  the  benignity  and  sweetness  of  the  Christ  face  redeems 
it  from  crudeness.  With  upraised  right  hand  he  is  blessing 
the  loaves  which  rest  in  his  left  hand,  while  the  boy  with  the 
fishes  kneels  reverently  at  his  feet. 


180  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XIV 

SAN  BUENAVENTURA 

FOR  thirteen  years  the  heart  of  the  venerable  Serra 
was  made  sick  by  the  postponements  in  the  found- 
ing of  this  Mission.  The  Viceroy  de  Croix  had 
ordered  Governor  Rivera  “ to  recruit  seventy-five  soldiers 
for  the  establishment  of  a presidio  ‘and  three  Missions  in 
the  channel  of  Santa  Barbara:  one  towards  the  north  of 
the  channel,  which  was  to  be  dedicated  to  the  Immaculate 
Conception ; one  towards  the  south,  dedicated  to  San  Buena- 
ventura, and  a third  in  the  centre,  dedicated  to  Santa 
Barbara.” 

It  was  Serra’s  intense  desire  that  the  whole  of  the  In- 
dians along  the  two  hundred  leagues  of  Pacific  Coast  should 
be  converted,  and  he  argued  that  if  Missions  were  estab- 
lished at  convenient  intervals  of  distance,  they  would  be 
caught  in  one  or  another  of  them.  Portola,  after  he 
made  his  trip  from  San  Diego  to  Monterey  in  1769,  re- 
ported fully  to  Serra  the  condition  of  the  Indians  he  found 
on  the  shore  of  the  Channel  Coast,  — how  that  they,  by 
means  of  pictures  made  in  the  sand,  showed  that  vessels 
had  been  there,  and  white  men,  with  beards,  also  visited 
them;  thus,  undoubtedly,  recalling  the  traditions  of  the 
Vizcaino  visit  made  nearly  two  hundred  years  before. 
Portola  described  their  huts  and  the  arrangement  of  their 
villages.  The  one  he  named  “ Assumpta  ” was  the  site  of 
the  future  San  Buenaventura.  There  he  found  the  In- 
dians more  industrious  and  athletic,  and  the  women  better 
clad,  than  elsewhere.  They  were  builders  of  well-shaped 
pine  canoes,  and  were  expert  fishermen.  They  were  also 


SAN  BUENAVENTURA 


181 


stone-masons,  using  only  tools  made  of  flint.  Exchanges 
were  made  by  Portola  with  them  of  curious  trinkets  for 
highly  polished  wooden  plates,  which  showed  that  they 
were  accomplished  wood- workers.  Each  family  lived  in  its 
own  hut,  which  was  conical  in  shape,  made  of  willow  poles 
and  covered  with  sage  and  other  brush.  A hole  was  left  in 
the  top  for  the  smoke  to  escape  which  rose  from  the  fire, 
always  built  in  the  centre  of  the  hut. 

Reports  such  as  these  had  kept  Serra  in  a constant  fer- 
ment to  establish  the  long-promised  Mission  there,  so  we 
can  imagine  it  was  with  intense  delight  that  he  received  a 
call  from  Governor  Neve,  who,  in  February,  1782,  informed 
him  that  he  was  prepared  to  proceed  at  once  to  the  found- 
ing of  the  Missions  of  San  Buenaventura  and  Santa 
Barbara.  Although  busy  training  his  neophytes,  he  de- 
termined to  go  in  person  and  perform  the  necessary  cere- 
monies. Looking  about  for  a padre  to  accompany  him,  and 
all  his  own  coadjutors  being  engaged,  he  bethought  him 
of  Father  Pedro  Benito  Cambon,  a returned  invalid  mis- 
sionary from  the  Philippine  Islands,  who  was  recuperating 
at  San  Diego.  He  accordingly  wrote  Padre  Cambon,  re- 
questing him,  if  possible,  to  meet  him  at  San  Gabriel.  On 
his  way  to  San  Gabriel,  Serra  passed  through  the  Indian 
villages  of  the  Channel  region,  and  could  not  refrain  from 
joyfully  communicating  the  news  to  the  Indians  that,  very 
speedily,  he  would  return  to  them,  and  establish  Missions 
in  their  midst.  I have  often  wondered,  and  still  wonder, 
what  the  thoughts  of  the  Indians  were,  as  this  man  — be- 
nignant, energetic,  devout  — talked  with  them  and  revealed 
his  purposes  towards  them.  Who  can  tell? 

In  the  evening  of  March  18  Serra  reached  Los  Angeles, 
and  next  evening,  after  walking  to  San  Gabriel,  weighed 
down  with  his  many  cares,  and  weary  with  his  long  walk, 
he  still  preached  an  excellent  sermon,  it  being  the  feast  of 
the  patriarch  St.  Joseph.  Father  Cambon  had  arrived, 
and  after  due  consultation  with  him  and  the  Governor,  the 


182  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


date  for  the  setting  out  of  the  expedition  was  fixed  for 
Tuesday,  March  26.  The  week  was  spent  in  confirmation 
services  and  other  religious  work,  and,  on  the  date  named, 
after  solemn  mass,  the  party  set  forth.  It  was  the  most 
imposing  procession  ever  witnessed  in  California  up  to  that 
time,  and  called  forth  many  gratified  remarks  from  Serra. 
There  were  seventy  soldiers,  with  their  captain,  commander 
for  the  new  presidio,  ensign,  sergeant,  and  corporals.  In 
full  gubernatorial  dignity  followed  Governor  Neve,  with 
ten  soldiers  of  the  Monterey  company,  their  wives  and 
families,  servants  and  neophytes. 

At  midnight  they  halted,  and  a special  messenger  over- 
took them  with  news  which  led  the  Governor  to  return  at 
once  to  San  Gabriel  with  his  ten  soldiers.  He  ordered  the 
procession  to  proceed,  however,  found  the  San  Buena- 
ventura Mission,  and  there  await  his  return.  Serra  ac- 
cordingly went  forward,  and  on  the  29th  inst.  arrived  at 
“ Assumpta.”  Here,  the  next  day,  on  the  feast  of  Easter, 
they  pitched  their  tents,  “ erected  a large  cross,  and  pre- 
pared an  altar  under  a shade  of  evergreens,”  where  the 
venerable  Serra,  now  soon  to  close  his  life  work,  blessed  the 
Cross  and  the  place,  solemnized  mass,  preached  a sermon  to 
the  soldiers  on  the  Resurrection  of  Christ,  and  formally 
dedicated  the  Mission  to  God,  and  placed  it  under  the 
patronage  of  St.  Joseph. 

In  the  earlier  part  of  this  century  the  Mission  began  to 
grow  rapidly.  Padres  Francisco  Dumetz  and  Vicente  de 
Santa  Maria,  who  had  been  placed  in  charge  of  the  Mission 
from  the  first,  were  gladdened  by  many  accessions,  and  the 
Mission  flocks  and  herds  also  increased  rapidly.  Indeed 
we  are  told  that  “ in  1802  San  Buenaventura  possessed 
finer  herds  of  cattle  and  richer  fields  of  grain  than  any  of 
her  contemporaries,  and  her  gardens  and  orchards  were 
visions  of  wealth  and  beauty.” 

On  his  second  visit  to  the  California  coast,  Vancouver, 
when  anchored  off  Santa  Barbara,  traded  with  Padre 


Plate  XXVIII 


a.  INTERIOR  OF  SAN  BUENAVENTURA  MISSION 


b.  INTERIOR  OF  SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PADUA  MISSION 


SAN  BUENAVENTURA 


188 


Santa  Marfa  of  San  Buenaventura  for  a flock  of  sheep 
and  as  many  vegetables  as  twenty  mules  could  carry.  The 
padre  returned  to  his  Mission  in  Vancouver’s  vessel,  and  the 
English  captain  visited  with  him  for  a day  in  his  hospitable 
quarters.  Said  he: 

“ I found  the  Mission  to  be  in  a very  superior  style  to  any  of 
the  new  establishments  yet  seen.  The  garden  of  Buenaventura 
far  exceeding  anything  I had  before  met  with  in  these  regions, 
both  in  respect  of  the  quantity,  quality,  and  variety  of  its  excellent 
productions,  not  only  indigenous  to  the  country,  but  appertaining 
to  the  temperate  as  well  as  torrid  zone  ; not  one  species  having 
yet  been  sown  or  planted  that  had  not  flourished.  These  have 
principally  consisted  of  apples,  pears,  plums,  figs,  oranges,  grapes, 
peaches,  and  pomegranates,  together  with  the  plantain,  banana, 
cocoanut,  sugar-cane,  indigo,  and  a great  variety  of  the  neces- 
sary and  useful  kitchen  herbs,  plants,  and  roots.  All  these  were 
flourishing  in  the  greatest  health  and  perfection,  though  sepa- 
rated from  the  sea-side  only  by  two  or  three  fields  of  corn  that 
were  cultivated  within  a few  yards  of  the  surf.” 

It  is  to  Vancouver,  on  this  voyage,  that  we  owe  the  names 
of  a number  of  points  on  the  California  coast,  as,  for  in- 
stance, Points  Sal,  Argiiello,  Felipe,  Vicente,  Dumetz,  Fer- 
min,  and  Lasuen. 

Vancouver  says  that  owing  to  a fire  the  buildings  were 
being  re-erected.  The  new  church  was  of  stone.  It  was 
about  half  finished  in  1794,  and  three  years  later  was  re- 
ported nearly  completed.  Yet  the  work  dragged  on  until 
September  9,  1809,  when  it  was  duly  dedicated  by  Senan, 
assisted  by  five  other  friars  and  one  priest.  It  was  roofed 
with  tiles. 

In  1795  there  was  a fight  between  the  neophyte  and 
gentile  Indians,  the  former  killing  two  chiefs  and  taking 
captive  several  of  the  latter.  The  leaders  on  both  sides 
were  punished,  the  neophyte  Domingo  even  being  sentenced 
to  work  in  chains. 

In  1806  the  venerable  Santa  Maria,  one  of  the  Mission 


184  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


founders,  died.  His  remains  were  ultimately  placed  in  the 
new  church. 

In  1800  the  largest  population  in  its  history  was  reached, 
with  1297  souls.  Cattle  and  horses  prospered,  and  the 
crops  were  reported  as  among  the  best  in  California. 

The  earthquake  of  1812-13  did  considerable  damage  at 
San  Buenaventura.  Afraid  lest  the  sea  would  swallow 
them  up,  the  people  fled  to  San  Joaquin  y Santa  Ana  for 
three  months,  where  a temporary  jacal  church  was  erected. 
The  tower  and  a part  of  the  fachada  had  to  be  torn  down 
and  rebuilt,  and  this  was  done  by  1818,  with  a new  chapel 
dedicated  to  San  Miguel  in  addition. 

Of  course  San  Buenaventura  felt  all  the  alarm  experi- 
enced by  the  other  coast  settlements  at  the  time  of  Bou- 
chard’s attacks,  and  Padre  Senan,  with  neophytes  and 
guards,  fled  from  the  Mission  to  the  canyada  of  New  Pu- 
risima,  where  a temporary  church  was  erected,  and  where 
they  remained  twenty-four  days. 

May  29,  1819,  twenty-two  Mohave  Indians  came  from 
their  home  on  the  Colorado  River  to  trade  with  the  neo- 
phytes. This  practice  the  authorities  had  given  strict 
orders  not  to  allow.  Consequently  the  visitors  were  refused 
permission  either  to  see  the  padre  or  the  neophytes,  and 
they  were  locked  up  in  the  guard-house  until  ready  to 
depart  the  following  day.  The  next  day,  while  all  were  at 
mass  in  the  church,  one  of  the  Indians  insisted  upon  leaving 
the  guard-house.  The  guard  struck  him  and  called  for  the 
corporal.  The  latter  left  the  church  with  another  soldier 
to  quell  the  disorder,  and  both  were  attacked  and  killed  with 
clubs.  The  padre  then  called  upon  the  rest  of  the  soldiers, 
and  gave  arms  to  the  neophytes,  bidding  them  defend  them- 
selves; and  in  the  general  melee  that  ensued  ten  Mohaves 
were  killed  and  one  neophyte.  The  rest  of  the  Indians  es- 
caped, but  were  afterwards  captured  by  a force  from  Santa 
Barbara.  They  were  set  to  work  at  the  presidio  and  again 
escaped.  For  a long  time  thereafter  this  caused  an  uneasy 


SAN  BUENAVENTURA 


185 


feeling  throughout  the  whole  region,  as  it  was  feared  the 
Mohaves  would  come  in  force  on  a mission  of  vengeance. 
This  feeling  in  time  died  away. 

That  San  Buenaventura  was  prosperous  is  shown  by  the 
fact  that  in  June,  1820,  the  government  owed  it  $27,385 
for  supplies;  $6200  in  stipends,  and  $1585  for  a cargo  of 
hemp,  — a total  of  $35,170,  which,  says  Bancroft,  “ there 
was  not  the  slightest  chance  of  ever  receiving.” 

In  1823  the  president  and  vice-prefect  Senan,  who  had 
served  as  padre  at  this  Mission  for  twenty-five  years, 
died  August  24,  and  was  buried  by  the  side  of  Santa 
Maria.  After  his  death  San  Buenaventura  began  rapidly 
to  decline. 

In  1822  a neophyte  killed  his  wife  for  adultery.  It  is 
interesting  to  note  that  in  presenting  his  case  the  fiscal 
said  that  as  the  culprit  had  been  a Christian  only  seven 
years,  and  was  yet  ignorant  in  matters  of  domestic  dis- 
cipline, he  asked  for  the  penalty  of  five  years  in  the  chain 
gang  and  then  banishment. 

In  the  struggle  between  the  rival  claimants  for  guber- 
natorial honors  in  1838  San  Buenaventura  was  the  scene 
of  one  of  the  “ deadly  conflicts.”  General  Castro,  who 
supported  Governor  Alvarado,  marched  with  a force  of  a 
hundred  men  and  a few  cannon  to  me£t  the  opposing  forces 
of  Castaneda  (the  supporter  of  Carrillo),  who  were  in- 
trenched in  the  Mission.  After  three  separate  demands  for 
surrender  and  evacuation,  all  of  which  were  refused,  the 
cannonading  began,  lasting  two  days,  in  which  one  man 
was  killed  on  the  besieging  side.  At  the  close  of  the  second 
day  the  defenders  fled  under  cover  of  night.  Sending  a 
force  in  pursuit,  seventy  fugitives  were  caught,  with  fifty 
muskets  and  other  arms.  It  was  afterwards  learned  that 
so  careless  were  the  Carrillo  forces  that  they  had  no  sen- 
tinels or  pickets  out;  they  were  completely  surrounded  be- 
fore they  were  aware  of  it,  their  horses  captured,  and 
water  supply  cut  off.  Their  valor  for  the  next  two  days 


186  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


was  kept  up  on  Mission  wine,  and  it  is  possible  that  they 
fled  only  when  the  supply  gave  out.  In  the  cannonading 
two  guns  were  placed  on  the  shore-side,  in  the  direction  of 
the  chapel,  and  one  perhaps  on  the  elevation  back  of  the 
Mission.  As  late  as  1874  the  walls  still  bore  the  marks  of 
the  cannon-balls. 

At  the  time  of  this  struggle  Carrillo  was  the  comisionado 
to  carry  out  the  secularization  decree  at  San  Buenaven- 
tura. In  1834  the  neophyte  population  had  decreased  to 
626,  but  the  live-stock  and  agricultural  operations  showed 
no  decline.  The  decree  was  not  made  effective  until  the 
spring  of  1837. 

The  baptisms  for  the  whole  period  of  the  Mission’s  his- 
tory, viz.,  for  1782-1834,  is  3876.  There  is  still  preserved 
at  the  Mission  the  first  register,  which  was  closed  in  1809. 
At  that  time  2648  baptisms  had  been  administered.  The 
padre  presidente,  Serra,  wrote  the  heading  for  the  Index, 
and  the  contents  themselves  were  written  in  a beautiful 
hand  by  Padre  Senan.  There  are  four  signatures  which 
occur  throughout  in  the  following  order:  Pedro  Benito 
Cambon,  Francisco  Dumetz,  Vicente  de  Sta  Marfa,  and 
Jose  Senan. 

The  largest  population  was  1330  in  1816.  The  largest 
number  of  cattle  was  23,400  in  the  same  year.  In  1814, 
4652  horses;  in  1816,  13,144  sheep. 

Micheltorena’s  decree  in  1843  restored  the  temporalities 
of  the  Mission  to  the  padres.  This  was  one  of  the  two  Mis- 
sions, Santa  Ines  being  the  other,  that  was  able  to  provide 
a moderate  subsistence  out  of  the  wreck  left  by  seculariza- 
tion. On  the  5th  of  December,  1845,  Pico  rented  San 
Buenaventura  to  Jose  Arnaz  and  Narcisco  Botello  for 
$1630  a year.  There  are  no  statistics  of  the  value  of  the 
property  after  1842,  though  in  April  of  1843  Padre 
Jimeno  reports  2382  cattle,  529  horses,  2299  sheep,  220 
mules  and  18  asses,  1032  fruit  trees  and  11,970  vines.  In 
November  of  that  same  year  the  bishop  appointed  Pres- 


SAN  BUENAVENTURA  187 

bjter  Rosales,  since  which  time  the  Mission  has  been  the 
regular  parish  church  of  the  city. 

In  1893  the  Mission  church  was  renovated  out  of  all  its 
historic  association  and  value  by  Father  Rubio,  who  had  a 
good-natured  but  fearfully  destructive  zeal  for  the  44  resto- 
ration ” of  the  old  Missions.  Almost  everything  has  been 
modernized.  The  fine  old  pulpit,  one  of  the  richest  treas- 
ures of  the  Mission,  was  there  several  years  ago ; but  when, 
in  1904,  I inquired  of  the  then  pastor  where  it  was,  I was 
curtly  informed  that  he  neither  knew  nor  cared.  All  the 
outbuildings  have  been  demolished  and  removed  in  order  to 
make  way  for  the  modern  spirit  of  commercialism  which 
in  the  last  decade  has  struck  the  town.  It  is  now  an  ordi- 
nary church,  with  little  but  its  history  to  redeem  it  f rom  the 
look  of  smug  modernity  which  is  the  curse  of  the  present 
age. 

Before  leaving  San  Buenaventura  it  may  be  interesting 
to  note  that  a few  years  ago  I was  asked  about  two 
44  wooden  bells  99  which  were  said  to  have  been  hung  in  the 
tower  at  this  Mission.  I deemed  the  question  absurd ; but 
on  one  of  my  visits  found  one  of  these  bells  in  a storeroom 
under  the  altar,  and  another  still  hanging  in  the  belfry. 
By  whom,  or  why,  these  dummy  bells  were  made,  I have  not 
been  able  to  discover. 


188  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XV 

SANTA  BARBARA 

AFTER  the  founding  of  San  Buenaventura  Governor 
Neve  arrived  from  San  Gabriel,  inspected  the  new 
L site,  and  expressed  himself  as  pleased  with  all  that 
had  been  done.  A few  days  later  he,  with  Padre  Serra,  and 
a number  of  soldiers  and  officers  started  up  the  coast,  and, 
selecting  a site  known  to  the  Indians,  after  the  name  of 
their  chief,  Yanonalit , established  the  presidio  of  Santa 
Barbara.  Yanonalit  was  very  friendly,  and  as  he  had 
authority  over  thirteen  rancherias  he  was  able  to  help 
matters  along  easily.  This  was  April  21,  1782. 

Neve,  in  his  report  to  the  Viceroy,  had  long  expressed 
himself  in  favor  of  Missions  all  along  the  channel.  Here 
is  part  of  his  official  declaration  in  regard  to  the  determina- 
tion to  occupy  the  pass  of  Santa  Barbara. 

“ This  pass  is  74  leagues  (308  miles)  from  the  Post  of  San 
Diego,  and  70  from  that  of  Monterey.  It  stretches  between  the 
coast  and  the  Cieneguilla  [meadow]  Range  about  2 6 leagues,  its 
greatest  width  being  half  to  three-fourths  of  a league.  It  is  full 
of  high  hills,  bluffs,  and  profound  clefts.  In  this  indispensable 
pass  are  8000  to  10,000  Gentiles  (Indians)  who  inhabit  21 
Rancherias,  situated  at  short  distances  on  the  heights  and  points 
contiguous  to  the  Beach.  Near  the  beach,  some  times  on  it  and 
some  times  on  the  high  ground,  runs  the  Camino  Real  [King’s 
Highway].  This  evidences  the  risk  to  which  small  Parties  are 
exposed  on  it ; and  that  if  some  incident  makes  those  Gentiles 
treacherous  or  hostile,  communication  with  the  old  and  new 
settlements  would  be  cut  off.  These  urgent  reasons  have  caused 
the  determination  to  occupy  this  pass  in  the  following  form. 


SANTA  BARBARA 


189 


“ The  Post  which  shall  be  established  midway  the  Pass  shall 
be  manned  by  Lieutenant,  Ensign,  and  29  Recruits,  including  a 
Sergeant  and  two  Corporals.  It  shall  establish  in  its  shelter  a 
Reduction  (Mission)  which  afterwards  shall  be  remoVed  to  the 
neighboring  spot  which  offers  more  land  and  sufficient  water  to 
irrigate  the  fields  ; — and  then  it  shall  be  given  from  the  Garri- 
son an  Escort  of  a Corporal  and  five  soldiers.  At  the  ends  of 
said  Pass,  for  its  complete  occupation,  two  other  f Reductions  ’ 
shall  be  placed,  each  garrisoned  with  a Sergeant  and  14 
Soldiers.  Said  Recruits  will  be  considered  supernumeraries 
to  the  Company  at  the  Post,  while  they  secure  these  settle- 
ments peace  and  good  admission  among  the  Gentiles. 

“ Attaining  this  with  rapid  progress  that  should  be  expected 
in  the  spiritual  conquest,  they  shall  be  reduced  proportionately 
to  the  regular  Escort  of  a Corporal  and  five  Soldiers  each ; the 
Sergeants  shall  be  incorporated  with  the  Companies  of  San 
Diego  and  Monterey,  and  the  16  remaining  Recruits  shall  be 
destined  to  garrison  other  f Reductions  ’ which  it  may  be  de- 
cided to  found,  in  which  case  they  shall  be  added  to  the  com- 
panies nearest  the  spot.” 

With  a fatuity  as  singular  as  it  was  determined,  Neve 
advised  and  insisted  that  the  new  Missions  be  founded  on 
the  plan  followed  so  disastrously  on  the  Colorado  River, 
which  removed  from  the  padres  all  control  of  the  temporal 
affairs.  The  superiors  of  the  Franciscan  college  in  Mexico 
refused  to  send  their  missionaries  under  any  such  plan ; 
the  result  was  the  long  delay  in  the  founding  of  Santa 
Barbara.  When  Serra  came  to  the  establishment  of  the 
presidio  he  expected  also  to  found  the  Mission,  and  great 
was  his  disappointment.  This  undoubtedly  hastened  his 
death,  which  occurred  August  28,  1784. 

It  was  not  until  two  years  later  that  Neve’s  successor, 
Fages,  authorized  Serra’s  successor,  Lasuen,  to  proceed. 
Even  then  it  was  feared  that  he  would  demand  adherence 
to  the  new  conditions ; but,  as  the  guardian  of  the  col- 
lege had  positively  refused  to  send  missionaries  for  the 
new  establishments,  unless  they  were  founded  on  the  old 
lines,  Fages  tacitly  agreed.  On  December  4,  therefore,  the 


190  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Cross  was  raised  on  the  site  called  Taynayan  by  the  In- 
dians and  Pedragoso  by  the  Spaniards,  and  formal  posses- 
sion taken,  though  the  first  mass  was  not  said  until  Fages’s 
arrival  on  the  16th.  Lasuen  was  assisted  by  Padres  An- 
tonio Paterna  and  Cristobal  Oramas.  Father  Zephyrin 
has  written  a very  interesting  history  oF  the  Mission,  some 
of  which  is  as  follows: 

“ The  work  of  erecting  the  necessary  buildings  began  early  in 
1787.  With  a number  of  Indians,  who  had  first  to  be  initiated 
into  the  mysteries  of  house  construction.  Fathers  Paterna  and 
Oramas  built  a dwelling  for  themselves  together  with  a chapel. 
These  were  followed  by  a house  for  the  servants,  who  were  male 
Indians,  a granary,  carpenter  shop,  and  quarters  for  girls  and 
unmarried  young  women.  This  class  of  Indians  were  separated 
from  their  relatives  and  placed  under  the  care  of  some  elderly 
Indian  woman,  in  order  to  withdraw  them  from  the  immoral 
influences  of  the  camps.  The  carpenter  shop  was  utilized  by 
boys  and  young  men  for  the  same  reason,  until  suitable  quarters 
had  been  provided.  All  these  structures  were  of  adobe  and  the 
walls  about  one  yard  thick.  The  roofing  consisted  of  heavy 
rafters  across  which  long  poles  or  canes  were  tied  with  rawhide 
strips,  over  which  a layer  of  soft  clay  or  mud  was  spread,  and 
then  thatched  with  straw.  Tiles,  however,  were  manufactured 
in  the  following  year,  and  thereafter  all  the  buildings  covered 
with  these. 

“ In  succeeding  years  other  structures  arose  on  the  rocky  height 
as  the  converts  increased  and  industries  were  introduced.  At 
the  end  of  1807  the  Indian  village,  which  had  sprung  up  just 
southwest  of  the  main  building,  consisted  of  252  separate  adobe 
dwellings  harboring  as  many  Indian  families.  The  present  Mis- 
sion building,  with  its  fine  corridor,  was  completed  about  the 
close  of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  fountain  in  front  arose  in 
1808.  It  furnished  the  water  for  the  great  basin  just  below, 
which  served  for  the  general  laundry  purposes  of  the  Indian 
village.  The  water  was  led  through  earthen  pipes  from  the 
reservoir  north  of  the  church,  which  to  this  day  furnishes  Santa 
Barbara  with  water.  It  was  built  in  1806.  To  obtain  the 
precious  liquid  from  the  mountains,  a very  strong  dam  was  built 
across  * Pedragoso  ’ creek  about  two  miles  back  of  the  mission. 


Plate  XXIX 


INTERIOR  OE  SANTA  BARBARA  MISSION 


SANTA  BARBARA 


191 


It  is  still  in  good  condition.  Then  there  were  various  structures 
scattered  far  and  near  for  the  different  trades,  since  everything 
that  was  used  in  the  way  of  clothing  and  food  had  to  be  raised 
or  manufactured  at  the  Mission. 

“ The  chapel  grew  too  small  within  a year  from  the  time  it  was 
dedicated,  Sunday,  May  21,  1787.  It  was  therefore  enlarged 
in  1788,  but  by  the  year  1792  this,  also,  proved  too  small. 
Converts  were  coming  in  rapidly.  The  old  structure  was  then 
taken  down,  and  a magnificent  edifice  took  its  place  in  1798. 
Its  size  was  25  by  125  feet.  There  were  three  small  chapels 
on  each  side,  like  the  two  that  are  attached  to  the  present 
church.  An  earthquake,  which  occurred  on  Monday,  December 
21,  1812,  damaged  this  adobe  building  to  such  an  extent  that  it 
had  to  be  taken  down.  On  its  site  rose  the  splendid  structure, 
which  is  still  the  admiration  of  the  traveller.  Padre  Antonio 
Ripoll  superintended  the  work,  which  continued  through  five 
years,  from  1815  to  1820.  It  was  dedicated  on  the  10th  of 
September,  1820.  The  walls,  which  are  six  feet  thick,  consist 
of  irregular  sandstone  blocks,  and  are  further  strengthened  by 
solid  stone  buttresses  measuring  nine  by  nine  feet.  The  towers 
to  a height  of  thirty  feet  are  a solid  mass  of  stone  and  cement 
twenty  feet  square.  A narrow  passage  leads  through  one  of 
these  to  the  top,  where  the  old  bells  still  call  the  faithful  to 
service  as  of  yore.  Doubtless  the  Santa  Barbara  mission  church 
is  the  most  solid  structure  of  its  kind  in  California.  It  is  165 
feet  long,  forty  feet  wide  and  thirty  feet  high  on  the  outside. 
Like  the  monastery,  the  church  is  roofed  with  tiles  which  were 
manufactured  at  the  mission  by  the  Indians. 

“ Besides  the  buildings  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the 
church,  the  missionaries  had  farm  houses  or  cattle  ranchos  at 
considerable  distances  for  the  convenience  of  the  herders  and 
field  hands.  All  the  ranchos  East  of  Santa  Ines  river,  including 
San  Marcos,  down  to  the  f Rincon  ’ near  Carpenteria,  belonged 
to  this  mission.  Thus  we  have  the  ranches  of  Tecolote,  San 
Miguel,  Canyada  de  las  Armas  and  San  Marcos,  at  which  places 
the  stock  was  herded.  The  principal  ranches  for  wheat,  barley, 
and  corn  were  : Dos  Pueblos,  or  San  Pedro  y San  Pablo  Meke- 
guwe  ’),  San  Estevan  (‘Tokeene’),  San  Miguel  (f  Sagspileel  * 
or  ‘ Mescal titlan ’),  San  Jose  or  Abajo,  San  Juan  Bautista  or 
Sauzal.  Sauzal  is  now  part  of  the  Hope  Ranch.  San  Estevan 


192  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


was  all  that  land  north  of  the  road  beginning  west  of  the  arroyo 
(f  Pedragoso  Creek  ’)  at  the  new  bridge  and  continuing  to  the 
Arroyo  del  Burro.  The  foundation  of  a large  stone  wall  may 
yet  be  seen  a little  beyond  the  bridge  west  of  f Pedragoso 
Creek.’  This  was  a large  corral  especially  for  tame  horses.” 

The  report  for  1800  is  full  of  interest.  It  recounts  the 
activity  in  building,  tells  of  the  death  of  Padre  Paterna, 
who  died  in  1793,  and  was  followed  by  Estevan  Tapis 
(afterwards  padre  presidente),  and  says  that  1237  natives 
have  been  baptized,  and  that  the  Mission  now  owns  2192 
horses  and  cattle,  and  5615  sheep.  Sixty  neophytes  are 
engaged  in  weaving  and  allied  tasks ; the  carpenter  of  the 
presidio  is  engaged  at  a dollar  a day  to  teach  the  neo- 
phytes his  trade ; and  a corporal  is  teaching  them  tanning 
at  $150  a year. 

In  1801  a large  number  of  the  Indians  died  of  an  epi- 
demic pulmonary  disease.  When  the  matter  became  serious, 
a neophyte  reported  to  his  fellows  that  he  had  had  a dream 
in  which  Chupu,  the  channel  deity,  had  appeared  to  him 
and  warned  him  that  all  gentiles  who  were  baptized  would 
die  of  the  epidemic  unless  they  renounced  Christianity  and 
washed  their  faces  in  a certain  water.  The  excitement  was 
intense.  The  scared  beings  went  secretly,  but  as  speedily 
as  possible,  to  the  prophet’s  house  with  beads  and  grain  to 
renounce  anything  and  everything  necessary.  The  move- 
ment reached  to  San  Buenaventura  and  throughout  the 
rancherias  of  the  length  of  the  channel.  Fortunately  for 
their  peace  of  mind,  the  missionaries  knew  nothing  of  it 
until  it  was  all  over.  Then  they  realized  their  danger; 
for  had  Chupu  ordered  their  killing,  there  is  no  doubt  but 
that  it  would  have  been  attempted. 

In  1803  the  population  was  the  highest  the  Mission  ever 
reached,  with  1792.  In  May,  1808,  a determined  effort  of 
nine  days  was  made  to  rid  the  region  of  ground  squirrels, 
and  about  a thousand  were  killed. 

The  earthquakes  of  1812  alarmed  the  people  and  dam- 


SANTA  BARBARA 


193 


aged  the  buildings  at  Santa  Barbara  as  elsewhere.  The 
sea  was  much  disturbed,  and  new  springs  of  asphaltum 
were  formed,  great  cracks  opened  in  the  mountains,  and  the 
population  fled  all  buildings  and  lived  in  the  open  air. 

On  the  6th  of  December,  in  the  same  year,  the  arrival  of 
Bouchard  “ the  pirate  ” gave  them  a new  shock  of  terror. 
The  padres  had  already  been  warned  to  send  all  their  val- 
uables to  Santa  Ines,  and  the  women  and  children  were  to 
proceed  thither  on  the  first  warning  of  an  expected  attack. 
But  Bouchard  made  no  attack.  He  merely  wanted  to  ex- 
change “ prisoners.”  He  played  a pretty  trick  on  the 
Santa  Barbara  commandante  in  negotiating  for  such  ex- 
change, and  then,  when  the  hour  of  delivery  came,  it  was 
found  he  had  but  one  prisoner,  — a poor  drunken  wretch 
whom  the  authorities  would  have  been  glad  to  get  rid  of  at 
any  price. 

In  1824  the  Indian  revolt,  which  is  fully  treated  in  the 
chapters  on  Santa  Ines  and  Purisima,  reached  Santa  Bar- 
bara. While  Padre  Ripoll  was  absent  at  the  presidio  the 
neophytes  armed  themselves  and  worked  themselves  into  a 
frenzy.  They  claimed  that  they  were  in  danger  from  the 
Santa  Ines  rebels  unless  they  joined  the  revolt,  though  they 
promised  to  do  no  harm  if  only  the  soldiers  were  sent  and 
kept  away.  Accordingly  Ripoll  gave  an  order  for  the 
guard  to  withdraw,  but  the  Indians  insisted  that  the  sol- 
diers leave  their  weapons.  Two  refused,  whereupon  they 
were  savagely  attacked  and  wounded.  This  so  incensed 
Guerra  that  he  marched  up  from  the  presidio  in  full  force, 
and  a fight  of  several  hours  ensued,  the  Indians  shooting 
with  guns  and  arrows  from  behind  the  pillars  of  the  cor- 
ridors. Two  Indians  were  killed  and  three  wounded,  and 
four  of  the  soldiers  were  wounded.  When  Guerra  retired 
to  the  presidio  the  Indians  stole  all  the  clothing  and  other 
portable  property  (carefully  respecting  everything,  how- 
ever, belonging  to  the  church)  they  would  carry,  and  fled  to 
the  hills.  That  same  afternoon  the  troops  returned  and, 

13 


19 4 THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


spite  the  padre’s  protest,  sacked  the  Indians’  houses  and 
killed  all  the  stragglers  they  found,  regardless  of  their 
guilt  or  innocence.  The  Indians  refused  to  return,  and 
retreated  further  over  the  mountains  to  the  recesses  of  the 
Tulares.  Here  they  were  joined  by  escaped  neophytes  from 
San  Fernando  and  other  Missions.  The  alarm  spread  to 
San  Buenaventura  and  San  Gabriel,  but  few,  if  any,  In- 
dians ran  away.  In  the  meantime  the  revolt  was  quelled  at 
Santa  Ines  and  Purfsima,  as  elsewhere  recorded. 

On  the  strength  of  reports  to  this  effect,  and  not  realiz- 
ing the  fact  that  Santa  Barbara  was  still  in  a state  of 
turmoil,  Governor  Argiiello  recalled  the  Monterey  troops 
which  had  been  aiding  the  padres  at  Santa  Ines  and  Puri- 
sima;  but  this  appeared  to  be  a mistake,  for,  immediately, 
Guerra  of  Santa  Barbara  sent  eighty  men  over  to  San 
Emigdio,  where,  on  the  9th  and  11th  of  April,  severe  con- 
flicts took  place,  with  four  Indians  killed,  and  wounded  on 
both  sides.  A wind  and  dust  storm  arising,  the  troops 
returned  to  Santa  Barbara. 

In  May  the  Governor  again  took  action,  sending  Captain 
Portilla  with  a force  of  130  men.  The  prefect  Sarria  and 
Padre  Ripoll  went  along  to  make  as  peaceable  terms  as  pos- 
sible, and  a message  which  Sarrfa  sent  on  ahead  doubtless 
led  the  insurgents  to  sue  for  peace.  They  said  they  were 
heartily  sorry  for  their  actions  and  were  anxious  to  return 
to  Mission  life,  but  hesitated  about  laying  down  their  arms 
in  fear  of  summary  punishment.  The  gentiles  still  fomented 
trouble  by  working  on  the  fears  of  the  neophytes,  but  owing 
to  Argiiello’s  granting  a general  pardon,  they  were  finally, 
in  June,  induced  to  return,  and  the  revolt  was  at  an  end. 

After  these  troubles,  however,  the  Mission  declined  rap- 
idly in  prosperity.  Though  the  buildings  under  Padre 
Ripoll  were  in  excellent  condition,  and  the  manufacturing 
industries  were  well  kept  up,  everything  else  suffered. 

In  1817  a girls’  school  for  whites  was  started  at  the 
presidio  of  Santa  Barbara,  but  nothing  further  is  known 


SANTA  BARBARA 


195 


of  it.  Several  years  later  a school  was  opened,  and  Diego 
Fernandez  received  $15  a month  as  its  teacher.  But  Gov- 
ernor Echeandia  ordered  that,  as  not  a single  scholar 
attended,  this  expense  be  discontinued ; yet  he  required  the 
commandante  to  compel  parents  to  send  their  children  to 
school. 

The  French  voyager  Duhaut-Cilly  describes  the  Mission 
as  follows:  44  As  we  advanced,  the  buildings  of  the  Mission 
appeared  under  a finer  aspect.  From  the  roadstead  we 
could  have  taken  it  for  a chateau  of  medieval  times,  with 
its  lofty  apertures  and  belfry.  Coming  nearer,  the  build- 
ing grows,  and,  without  losing  anything  of  its  beauty, 
takes  on,  little  by  little,  a religious  appearance ; the  turret 
becomes  a spire ; the  brass,  instead  of  announcing  a 
knight’s  arrival,  sounds  the  Office  or  the  Angelus ; the  first 
illusion  is  destroyed,  and  the  castle  is  a convent. 

44  In  front  of  the  building,  in  the  middle  of  a huge 
square,  is  a playing  fountain,  the  workmanship  of  which, 
imperfect  as  it  was,  surprised  us  more,  since  we  had  not 
expected  to  find  in  this  country,  otherwise  so  far  removed 
from  the  fine  things  of  Europe,  this  sort  of  luxury,  re- 
served among  us  for  the  dwellings  of  the  most  wealthy.” 

44  H.  H.”  thus  describes  the  christening  of  one  of  the 
towers  of  Santa  Barbara  at  the  wedding  of  the  brother  of 
the  superior,  the  bride  having  told  her  the  story : 

“ On  the  day  after  her  wedding  came  the  christening  or  bless- 
ing of  the  right  tower  of  the  church.  She  and  her  husband, 
having  been  chosen  godfather  and  godmother  of  the  tower, 
walked  in  solemn  procession  around  it,  carrying  lighted  candles 
in  their  hands,  preceded  by  the  friar,  who  sprinkled  it  with  holy 
water  and  burned  incense.  In  the  four  long  streets  of  Indians’ 
houses,  then  running  eastward  from  the  mission,  booths  of  green 
boughs,  decorated  with  flowers,  were  set  up  in  front  of  all  the 
doors.  Companies  of  Indians  from  other  missions  came  as 
guests,  dancing  and  singing  as  they  approached.  Their  Indian 
hosts  went  out  to  meet  them,  also  singing,  and  pouring  out 
seeds  on  the  ground  for  them  to  walk  on.” 


196  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


In  1835  all  the  Indians  on  San  Nicholas  Island  were 
removed  to  the  mainland,  except  one  woman  who  escaped, 
and  about  whom  many  a page  of  wild  fiction  has  since  been 
written. 

In  1833  Presidente  Duran,  discussing  with  Governor 
Figueroa  the  question  of  secularization,  deprecated  too 
sudden  action,  and  suggested  a partial  and  experimental 
change  at  some  of  the  oldest  Missions,  Santa  Barbara 
among  the  number. 

When  the  decree  from  Mexico,  however,  came,  this  was 
one  of  the  first  ten  Missions  to  be  affected  thereby.  Anas- 
tasio  Carrillo  was  appointed  comisionado,  and  acted  from 
September,  1833.  His  inventory  in  March,  1834,  showed 
credits,  $14,953;  buildings,  $22,936;  furniture,  tools, 
goods  in  storehouse,  vineyards,  orchards,  corrals,  and  ani- 
mals, $19,590 ; church,  $16,000  ; sacristy,  $1500  ; church 
ornaments,  etc.,  $4576 ; library,  $152;  ranchos,  $30,961 ; 
total,  $113,960,  with  a debt  to  be  deducted  of  $1000. 

The  statistics  from  1786  to  1834,  the  whole  period  of 
the  Mission’s  history,  show  that  there  were  5679  baptisms, 
1524  marriages,  4046  deaths.  The  largest  population  was 
1792  in  1803.  The  largest  number  of  cattle  was  5200  in 
1809,  11,066  sheep  in  1804. 

Here,  as  elsewhere,  the  comisionados  found  serious  fault 
with  the  pueblo  grogshops.  In  1837  Carrillo  reports  that  he 
has  broken  up  a place  where  Manuel  Gonzalez  sold  liquor 
to  the  Indians,  and  he  calls  upon  the  commandante  to  sup- 
press other  places.  In  March,  1838,  he  complains  that  the 
troops  are  killing  the  Mission  cattle,  but  is  told  that  General 
Castro  had  authorized  the  officers  to  kill  all  the  cattle  needed 
without  asking  permission.  When  the  Visitador  Hartwell 
was  here  in  1839  he  found  Carrillo’s  successor  Cota  an  unfit 
man,  and  so  reported  him.  He  finally  suspended  him,  and 
the  Indians  became  more  contented  and  industrious  under 
Padre  Duran’s  supervision,  though  the  latter  refused  to 
undertake  the  temporal  management  of  affairs. 


SANTA  BARBARA 


197 


In  1841  Garcia  Diego  was  appointed  bishop.  He  ar- 
rived in  Santa  Barbara  from  San  Diego  January  11,  1842, 
with  the  intention  of  making  it  his  episcopal  residence. 
Robinson,  who  witnessed  his  arrival,  thus  describes  the 
event : 

“The  vessel  was  in  sight  in  the  morning,  but  lay  becalmed 
and  rolling  to  the  ocean’s  swell.  A boat  put  off  from  her  side 
and  approached  the  landing  place.  One  of  the  attendants  of  his 
Excellency,  who  came  in  it,  repaired  to  the  Mission,  to  com- 
municate with  the  Father  President.  All  was  bustle ; men, 
women,  and  children  hastening  to  the  beach,  banners  flying, 
drums  beating,  and  soldiers  marching.  The  whole  population 
of  the  place  turned  out  to  pay  homage  to  this  first  Bishop  of 
California.  At  eleven  o’clock  the  vessel  anchored.  He  came 
on  shore,  and  was  welcomed  by  the  kneeling  multitude.  All 
received  his  benediction  — all  kissed  the  pontifical  ring.  The 
troops  and  civic  authorities  then  escorted  him  to  the  house  of 
Don  Jose  Antonio,  where  he  dined.  A carriage  had  been  pre- 
pared for  his  Excellency,  which  was  accompanied  by  several 
others,  occupied  by  the  President  and  his  friends.  The  females 
had  formed,  with  ornamental  canes,  beautiful  arches,  through 
which  the  procession  passed ; and  as  it  marched  along  the  heavy 
artillery  of  the  e Presidio  ’ continued  to  thunder  forth  its  noisy 
welcome.  . . . 

“ At  four  o’clock  the  Bishop  was  escorted  to  the  Mission,  and 
when  a short  distance  from  the  town  the  enthusiastic  inhabi- 
tants took  the  horses  from  his  carriage  and  dragged  it  them- 
selves. Halting  at  a small  bower  on  the  road,  he  alighted, 
went  into  it,  and  put  on  his  pontifical  robes ; then  resuming  his 
place  in  the  carriage  he  continued  on  amidst  the  sound  of  music 
and  the  firing  of  guns  till  he  arrived  at  the  church,  where  he 
addressed  the  multitude  that  followed  him.” 

Mexico  made  many  financial  and  other  pledges  to  the 
new  bishop,  including  a salary  of  $6000  a year  and  the 
management  of  the  pious  fund.  But  she  was  too  much  in 
need  of  money  herself  to  care  for  promises  made  to  an 
outsider,  and,  consequently,  his  hopes  and  ambitions  were 
speedily  nipped  in  the  bud.  He  found  that  tithe-gathering 


198  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


was  not  easy ; and  though  he  received  the  concession  of  the 
Mission  buildings  for  episcopal  purposes,  and  a site  for 
a proposed  cathedral,  the  latter  never  grew  higher  than  a 
few  piles  of  stone. 

Micheltorena’s  decree  of  1843  affected  Santa  Barbara, 
in  that  it  was  ordered  returned  to  the  control  of  the  padres ; 
but  in  the  following  year  Padre  Duran  reported  that  it 
had  the  greatest  difficulty  in  supporting  its  287  souls. 
Pico’s  decree  in  1845  retained  the  principal  building  for 
the  bishop  and  padres ; but  all  the  rest  and  the  orchards 
and  lands  were  to  be  rented,  which  was  accordingly  done, 
the  property  being  valued  at  $20,288,  December  5,  to  Nich- 
olas A.  Den  and  Daniel  Hill  for  $1200  per  year.  Padre 
Duran  was  growing  old,  and  the  Indians  were  becoming 
more  careless  and  improvident;  so,  when  Pico  wrote  him 
to  give  up  the  Mission  lands  and  property  to  the  renters 
he  did  so  willingly,  though  he  stated  that  the  estate  owed 
him  $1000  for  money  he  had  advanced  for  the  use  of  the 
Indians.  The  Indians  were  to  receive  one  third  of  the 
rental,  but  there  is  no  record  of  a cent  of  it  ever  getting 
into  their  hands.  June  10,  1846,  Pico  sold  the  Mission  to 
Richard  S.  Den  for  $7500,  though  the  lessees  seem  to  have 
kept  possession  until  about  the  end  of  1848.  The  land 
commission  confirmed  Den’s  title,  though  the  evidences  are 
that  it  was  annulled  in  later  litigation.  Padre  Duran  died 
here  early  in  1846,  a month  after  Bishop  Diego.  Padre 
Gonzalez  Rubio  still  remained  for  almost  thirty  years 
longer  to  become  the  last  of  the  old  missionaries. 

In  1853  a petition  was  presented  to  Rome,  and  Santa 
Barbara  was  erected  into  a Hospice,  as  the  beginning  of  an 
Apostolic  College  for  the  education  of  Franciscan  novi- 
tiates who  are  to  go  forth,  wherever  sent,  as  missionaries. 
St.  Anthony’s  College,  the  modern  building  near  by,  was 
founded  by  the  energy  of  Father  Peter  Wallischeck.  It  is 
for  the  education  of  aspirants  to  the  Franciscan  order. 
There  are  now  thirty-five  students. 


SANTA  BARBARA 


199 


Five  of  the  early  missionaries  and  three  of  later  date 
are  buried  in  the  crypt,  under  the  floor  of  the  sanctuary, 
in  front  of  the  high  altar;  and  Bishop  Diego  rests  under 
the  floor  at  the  right  hand  side  of  the  altar. 

The  small  cemetery,  which  is  walled  in  and  entered  from 
the  church,  is  said  to  contain  tjie  bodies  of  4000  Indians, 
as  well  as  a number  of  whites.  In  the  northeast  corner  is 
the  vault  in  which  are  buried  the  members  of  the  Franciscan 
community. 

In  the  bell  tower  are  two  old  bells  made  in  1818,  as  is 
evidenced  by  their  inscriptions,  which  read  alike,  as  fol- 
lows: “Manvel  Vargas  me  fecit  ano  d.  1818  Mision  de 
Santa  Barbara  De  la  nveba  California  ” — “ Manuel  Var- 
gas made  me  Anno  Domini  1818.  Mission  of  Santa  Bar- 
bara of  New  California.”  The  first  bell  is  fastened  to  its 
beam  with  rawhide  thongs ; the  second,  with  a framework 
of  iron.  Higher  up  is  a modern  bell  which  is  rung,  the 
old  ones  being  tolled  only. 

The  Mission  buildings  surround  the  garden,  into  which 
no  woman,  save  a reigning  queen  or  the  wife  of  the  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  is  allowed  to  enter.  An  excep- 
tion was  made  in  the  case  of  the  Princess  Louise  when  her 
husband  was  the  Governor-general  of  Canada.  The  wife 
of  President  Harrison  also  has  entered.  The  garden,  with 
its  fine  Italian  cypress,  planted  by  Bishop  Diego  about 
1842,  and  its  hundred  varieties  of  semi-tropical  flowers,  in 
the  centre  of  which  is  a fountain  where  goldfish  play,  af- 
fords a delightful  place  of  study,  quiet,  and  meditation 
for  the  Franciscans. 

It  is  well  that  the  visitor  should  know  that  this  old  Mis- 
sion, never  so  abandoned  and  abused  as  the  others,  has 
been  kept  up  in  late  years  entirely  by  the  funds  given  to 
the  Franciscan  missionaries,  who  are  now  its  custodians. 
With  no  other  revenues  to  rely  upon,  they  have  expended 
thousands  of  dollars  in  cash,  and  of  their  own  skilled  labor 
even  more  freely,  to  keep  all  these  historic  memorials  in 


200  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


good  condition.  It  is  also  to  be  remembered  that  each 
visitor,  or  group,  requires  a good  deal  of  the  time  of  the 
brother  who  is  appointed  as  escort,  hence  it  is  an  imposi- 
tion to  expect  to  be  admitted  and  escorted  around  without 
the  return  of  some  honorarium.  Every  cent  thus  given  is 
wisely  expended,  and  it  would  be  a good  thing  if  a fund 
could  thus  be  raised  at  each  Mission  to  aid  in  its  preserva- 
tion and  care. 

The  Mission  library  contains  a large  number  of  valuable 
old  books  gathered  from  the  other  Missions  at  the  time  of 
secularization.  There  are  also  kept  here  a large  number 
of  the  old  records  from  which  Bancroft  gained  much  of  his 
Mission  intelligence,  and  which,  recently,  have  been  care- 
fully restudied  by  Father  Zephyrin,  the  California  histo- 
rian of  the  Franciscan  order  with  the  purpose  of  writing 
a new  history  from  the  standpoint  of  the  order.  Father 
Zephyrin  is  a devoted  student,  and  many  results  of  his  zeal 
and  kindness  are  placed  before  my  readers  in  this  volume, 
owing  to  his  generosity. 

In  the  curio  rooms  are  many  objects  of  interest  and 
value,  some  of  which  are  pictured  and  described  elsewhere 
in  this  volume. 

The  Santa  Barbara  fountain  is  the  most  ornate  and 
beautiful  piece  of  stone  work,  I believe,  in  the  whole  Mis- 
sion chain.  It  consists  of  an  upright  octagonal  standard, 
upon  four  sides  of  which  are  scrolled  buttresses,  divided 
into  three  fillets,  giving  added  grace  and  lightness.  Only 
one  of  these  scrolls  remains  to  show  the  beauty  of  the  orna- 
ment, the  others  having  been  knocked  off.  This  standard 
supports  a bowl,  some  three  feet  around,  sculptured  into 
eight  oval  panels,  each  panel  connected  by  a well-executed 
conventionalized  leaf  and  wavy  design  above  and  below. 
From  the  centre  of  this  bowl  rises  another  octagonal  stem 
supporting  another  and  smaller  bowl,  carved  in  flutings. 
From  this  still  another  standard  arises,  circular  in  form, 
from  which  the  water-pipe  extends. 


SANTA  BARBARA 


201 


Just  below  the  fountain,  and  now  fenced  into  a corner  of 
the  garden,  is  a large  reservoir,  with  sides  that  slightly 
slope  to  the  edges.  On  these  cement  sides,  which  are  nine 
or  ten  feet  wide,  the  Indian  women  of  the  Mission  were 
wont  to  bring  their  laundry.  Let  us  try  to  imagine  the 
busy  and  interesting  scene,  — one  that  I f ain  would  have 
come  back  again.  A carved  figure  of  a crouching  bear 
spouts  the  water  out  of  his  mouth  into  this  reservoir,  which 
is  seventy  feet  long  by  six  feet  wide.  The  cement  sides  are 
full  of  Indian  women,  each  with  her  pile  of  clothes,  splash- 
ing, soaping,  scrubbing,  sousing,  rubbing  them;  at  the 
same  time  laughing,  chatting,  scolding,  gossiping,  or,  per- 
haps, even,  sometimes  serious  and  sad. 

At  the  lower  end  of  the  cistern  is  another  carved  figure. 
The  cistern  itself  is  built  of  solid  stone,  well  cemented,  and 
made  to  endure. 


202  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XVI 

LA  PUBISIMA  CONCEPCION 

LTHOUGH  the  date  of  the  founding  of  this  Mission 
LJL  is  given  as  December  8,  1787,  — for  that  was  the 
X.  JL  day  on  which  Presidente  Lasuen  raised  the  Cross, 
blessed  the  site,  celebrated  mass,  and  preached  a dedicatory 
sermon,  — there  was  no  work  done  for  several  months, 
owing  to  the  coming  on  of  the  rainy  season.  In  the  middle 
of  March,  1788,  Sergeant  Cota  of  Santa  Barbara,  with 
a band  of  laborers  and  an  escort,  went  up  to  prepare  the 
necessary  buildings ; and  early  in  April  Lasuen,  accom- 
panied by  Padres  Vicente  Fuster  and  Jose  Arroita,  fol- 
lowed. As  early  as  August  the  roll  showed  an  acquisition 
of  seventy-nine  neophytes.  During  the  first  decade  nearly 
a thousand  baptisms  were  recorded,  and  the  Mission  flour- 
ished in  all  departments.  Large  crops  of  wheat  and  grain 
were  raised,  and  live-stock  increased  rapidly.  In  1804 
the  population  numbered  1522,  the  highest  on  record  dur- 
ing its  history,  and  in  1810  the  number  of  live-stock  re- 
ported was  over  20,000 ; but  the  unusual  prosperity  that 
attended  this  Mission  during  its  earlier  years  was  in- 
terrupted by  a series  of  exceptional  misfortunes. 

The  first  church  erected  was  crude  and  unstable,  and  fell 
rapidly  into  decay.  Scarcely  a dozen  years  had  passed, 
when  it  became  necessary  to  build  a new  one.  This  was 
constructed  of  adobe  and  roofed  with  tile.  It  was  com- 
pleted in  1802,  but  although  well  built,  it  was  totally  de- 
stroyed by  an  earthquake,  as  we  shall  see  later  on. 

The  Indians  of  this  section  were  remarkably  intelligent 
as  well  as  diligent,  and  during  the  first  years  of  the  Mission 
there  were  over  fifty  rancherfas  in  the  district.  According 


Plate  XXX 


Copyright,  1904,  by  C.  C.  Pierce  # Co. 

b.  RUINS  OF  LA  PURtSIMA  MISSION 


LA  PURISIMA  CONCEPCION 


203 


to  the  report  of  Padre  Pay  eras  in  1810  they  were  docile 
and  industrious.  This  indefatigable  worker,  with  the  as- 
sistance of  interpreters,  prepared  a catechism  and  manual 
of  confession  in  the  native  language  which  he  found  very 
useful  in  imparting  religious  instruction  and  in  uprooting 
the  prevailing  idolatry.  In  a little  over  twenty  years  the 
entire  population  for  many  leagues  had  been  baptized,  and 
were  numbered  among  the  converts. 

This  period  of  peace  and  prosperity  was  followed  by 
sudden  disaster.  The  earthquake  of  1812,  already  noted 
as  the  most  severe  ever  known  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  brought 
devastation  to  Purfsima.  The  morning  of  December  21 
found  padres  and  Indians  rejoicing  in  the  possession  of  the 
fruits  of  their  labor  of  years,  — a fine  church,  many  Mis- 
sion buildings,  and  a hundred  houses  built  of  adobe  and 
occupied  by  the  natives.  A few  hours  afterward  little  was 
left  that  was  fit  for  even  temporary  use.  The  first  vibra- 
tion, lasting  four  minutes,  damaged  the  walls  of  the 
church.  The  second  shock,  a half-hour  later,  caused  the 
total  collapse  of  nearly  all  the  buildings.  Padre  Payeras 
reported  that  “ the  earth  opened  in  several  places,  emitting 
water  and  black  sand.”  This  calamity  was  quickly  fol- 
lowed by  torrents  of  rain,  and  the  ensuing  floods  added  to 
the  distress  of  the  homeless  inhabitants.  The  remains  of 
this  old  Mission  of  1802  are  still  to  be  seen  near  Lompoc, 
and  on  the  hillside  above  is  a deep  scar  made  by  the  earth- 
quake, this  doubtless  being  the  crack  described  by  Padre 
Payeras.  But  nothing  could  daunt  the  courage  or  quench 
the  zeal  of  the  missionaries.  Rude  huts  were  erected  for 
immediate  needs,  and,  having  selected  a new  and  more  ad- 
vantageous site  — five  or  six  miles  away  — across  the  river, 
they  obtained  the  necessary  permission  from  the  presidente, 
and  at  once  commenced  the  construction  of  a new  church, 
and  all  the  buildings  needed  for  carrying  on  the  Mission. 
Water  for  irrigation  and  domestic  purposes  was  brought 
in  cement  pipes,  made  and  laid  under  the  direction  of  the 


204  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


padres  from  Salsperde  Creek,  three  miles  away.  But  other 
misfortunes  were  in  store  for  these  unlucky  people.  Dur- 
ing a drought  in  the  winter  of  1816—1817  hundreds  of 
sheep  perished  for  lack  of  feed,  and  in  1818  nearly  all 
the  neophytes’  houses  were  destroyed  by  fire. 

In  1823  the  Mission  lost  one  of  its  best  friends  in  the 
death  of  Padre  Payeras.  For  nearly  twenty  years  this 
wise,  zealous,  and  much  loved  missionary  had  made  his 
home  at  Purfsima,  and  his  firm  hand  had  been  felt  in  both 
calm  and  storm,  guiding  and  controlling  in  the  midst  of 
every  vicissitude.  Had  he  lived  another  year  it  is  quite 
possible  his  skill  in  adjusting  difficulties  might  have  warded 
off  the  outbreak  that  occurred  among  the  Indians,  — the 
famous  revolt  of  1824. 

This  revolt,  which  also  affected  Santa  Ines  and  Santa 
Barbara  (see  their  respective  chapters),  had  serious  con- 
sequences at  Purfsima.  After  the  attack  at  Santa  Ines  the 
rebels  fled  to  Purfsima.  In  the  meantime  the  neophytes  at 
this  latter  Mission,  hearing  of  the  uprising,  had  seized  the 
buildings.  The  guard  consisted  of  Corporal  Tapia  with 
four  or  five  men.  He  bravely  defended  the  padres  and  the 
soldiers’  families  through  the  night,  but  surrendered  when 
his  powder  gave  out.  One  woman  was  wounded.  The 
rebels  then  sent  Padre  Ordaz  and  Tapia  to  Santa  Ines  to 
warn  Sergeant  Carrillo  not  to  come  or  the  families  would 
be  killed.  Before  an  answer  was  received,  the  soldiers  and 
their  families  were  permitted  to  retire  to  Santa  Ines,  while 
Padre  Rodriguez  remained,  the  Indians  being  kindly  dis- 
posed towards  him.  Four  white  men  were  killed  in  the 
fight,  and  seven  Indians. 

Left  now  to  themselves,  and  knowing  that  they  were  sure 
to  be  attacked  ere  long,  the  Indians  began  to  prepare  for 
defence.  They  erected  palisades,  cut  loop-holes  in  the 
walls  of  the  church  and  other  buildings,  and  mounted  one 
or  two  rusty  old  cannon.  For  nearly  a month  they  were 
not  molested.  This  was  the  end  of  February. 


LA  PURISIMA  CONCEPCION 


205 


In  the  meantime  the  Governor  was  getting  a force  ready 
at  Monterey  to  send  to  unite  with  one  under  Guerra  from 
Santa  Barbara.  On  the  16th  of  March  they  were  to  have 
met,  but  owing  to  some  mischance,  the  northern  force  had 
to  make  the  attack  alone.  Cavalry  skirmishers  were  sent 
right  and  left  to  cut  off  retreat,  and  the  rest  of  the  force 
began  to  fire  on  the  adobe  walls  from  muskets  and  a four- 
pounder.  The  four  hundred  neophytes  within  responded 
with  yells  of  defiance  and  cannon,  swivel-guns,  and  mus- 
kets, as  well  as  a cloud  of  arrows.  In  their  inexperienced 
hands,  however,  little  damage  was  done  with  the  cannon. 
By  and  by  the  Indians  attempted  to  fly,  but  were  pre- 
vented by  the  cavalry.  Now  realizing  their  defeat,  they 
begged  Padre  Rodriguez  to  intercede  for  them,  which  he 
did.  In  two  hours  and  a half  the  conflict  was  over,  three 
Spaniards  being  wounded,  one  fatally,  while  there  were 
sixteen  Indians  killed  and  a large  number  wounded.  As 
the  Governor  had  delegated  authority  to  the  officers  to  sum- 
marily dispense  justice,  they  condemned  seven  of  them  to 
death  for  the  murder  of  the  white  men  in  the  first  conflict. 
They  were  shot  before  the  end  of  the  month.  Four  of  the 
revolt  ringleaders  were  sentenced  to  ten  years  of  labor  at 
the  presidio  and  then  perpetual  exile,  while  eight  others 
were  condemned  to  the  presidio  for  eight  years. 

There  was  dissatisfaction  expressed  with  the  penalties, 
— on  the  side  of  the  padres  by  Ripoll  of  Santa  Barbara, 
who  claimed  that  a general  pardon  had  been  promised; 
and  on  the  part  of  the  Governor,  who  thought  his  officers 
had  been  too  lenient. 

An  increased  guard  was  left  at  Purfsima  after  this 
affair,  and  it  took  some  little  time  before  the  Indians  com- 
pletely settled  down  again,  as  it  was  known  that  the  Santa 
Barbara  Indians  were  still  in  revolt. 

During  all  the  years  when  contending  with  the  destruc- 
tive forces  of  earthquake,  fire,  flood,  and  battle,  to  say 
nothing  of  those  foes  of  agriculture,  — drought,  frost, 


206  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


grasshoppers,  and  squirrels,  — the  material  results  of 
native  labor  were  notable.  In  1819  they  produced  about 
100,000  pounds  of  tallow.  In  1821  the  crops  of  wheat, 
barley,  and  corn  amounted  to  nearly  8000  bushels.  Be- 
tween 1822  and  1827  they  furnished  the  presidio  with  sup- 
plies valued  at  $12,921.  The  population,  however,  gradu- 
ally decreased  until  about  400  were  left  at  the  time  of 
secularization  in  1835.  The  Purisima  estate  at  this  time 
was  estimated  by  the  appraisers  to  be  worth  about  $60,000. 
The  inventory  included  a library  valued  at  $655  and  five 
bells  worth  $1000.  With  the  exception  of  the  church  prop- 
erty this  estate,  or  what  remained  of  it,  was  sold  in  1845 
for  $1110.  Under  the  management  of  administrators  ap- 
pointed by  the  government  the  Mission  property  rapidly 
disappeared,  lands  were  sold,  live-stock  killed  and  scattered, 
and  only  the  fragments  of  wreckage  remained  to  be  turned 
over  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  padres  according  to  the  decree 
of  Micheltorena  in  1843.  The  following  year  an  epidemic 
of  smallpox  caused  the  death  of  the  greater  proportion  of 
Indians  still  living  at  Purisima,  and  the  final  act  in  the 
history  of  the  once  flourishing  Mission  was  reached  in  1845, 
when,  by  order  of  Governor  Pico,  the  ruined  estate  was 
sold  to  John  Temple  for  the  paltry  amount  stated  above. 

Nearly  forty  years  afterward  Helen  Hunt  Jackson 
visited  the  ruins,  and  thus  vividly  described  the  desolate 
scene : 

"Nothing  is  left  there  but  one  long,  low  adobe  building,  with 
a few  arches  of  the  corridor ; the  doors  stand  open,  the  roof  is 
falling  in ; it  has  been  so  often  used  as  a stable  and  sheepfold, 
that  even  the  grasses  are  killed  around  it.  The  painted  pulpit 
hangs  half  falling  on  the  wall,  its  stairs  are  gone,  and  its  sound- 
ing-board is  slanting  awry.  Inside  the  broken  altar-rail  is  a pile 
of  stones,  earth  and  rubbish  thrown  up  by  seekers  after  buried 
treasures  ; in  the  farther  corner  another  pile  and  hole,  the  home 
of  a badger ; mud-swallows’  nests  are  thick  on  the  cornice,  and 
cobwebbed  rags  of  the  old  canvas  ceiling  hang  fluttering  over- 


LA  PURISIMA  CONCEPCION 


207 


head.  The  only  trace  of  the  ancient  cultivation  is  a pear- 
orchard  a few  rods  off,  which  must  have  been  a splendid  sight  in 
its  day ; it  is  at  least  two  hundred  yards  square,  with  a double 
row  of  trees  all  around,  so  placed  as  to  leave  between  them  a 
walk  fifty  or  sixty  feet  wide.  Bits  of  broken  aqueduct  here  and 
there,  and  a large,  round  stone  tank  overgrown  by  grass,  showed 
where  the  life  of  the  orchard  used  to  flow  in.  It  has  been  many 
years  slowly  dying  of  thirst.  Many  of  the  trees  are  gone,  and 
those  that  remain  stretch  out  gaunt  and  shrivelled  boughs, 
which,  though  still  bearing  fruit,  look  like  arms  tossing  in  vain 
reproach  and  entreaty ; a few  pinched  little  blossoms  seemed  to 
heighten  rather  than  lessen  their  melancholy  look.” 

The  Mission  of  La  Purisima  Concepcion  was  built  in 
a canyada  not  far  from  the  river.  It  stands  northeast  to 
southwest,  the  southwest  end  buttressed  with  solid  and  well 
built  masonry.  The  main  walls  are  of  adobe,  plastered 
over.  Parts  of  the  buildings  are  in  two  stories,  but  every- 
thing now  (1905)  is  in  sad  ruins.  Though  it  is  as  solitary 
and  deserted  as  San  Antonio,  it  does  not  make  the  pathetic 
appeal  that  that  venerable  and  dignified  structure  does. 
And  it  is  hard  to  say  why.  The  photograph  shows  that 
it  is  not  so  striking  a building,  still  there  seems  to  be  no 
reason  why  one  should  not  feel  as  sadly  at  its  desolation 
as  one  does  at  San  Antonio.  It  is  pathetic  enough.  The 
tiles  have  been  taken  off  the  roof  except  where  they  have 
fallen  in  and  been  broken  to  pieces ; some  of  the  walls  have 
tumbled  down ; others  are  rapidly  crumbling  away ; some 
of  the  pillars  of  the  corridors  have  fallen;  weeds  have 
grown  everywhere,  and,  instead  of  giving  the  feeling  of 
kindly  covering  the  desolation,  they  serve  only  to  accen- 
tuate it. 

The  corridors  at  La  Purisima  extended  only  in  front  of 
the  building.  The  pillars  are  square  with  chamfered  cor- 
ners, and  were  evidently  built  of  the  material  that  hap- 
pened to  be  readiest  to  hand  at  the  moment,  for  some  are 
of  stone,  others  of  burnt  brick,  and  still  others  of  adobe. 


208  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


At  the  time  of  my  last  visit  in  May,  1904,  eighteen  pillars 
were  still  standing,  and  two  had  fallen.  These  pillars  are 
about  three  feet  square.  The  corridors  are  ten  feet  wide 
and  extend  the  whole  length  of  the  building,  which  is  about 
three  hundred  feet.  The  width,  without  the  corridor,  is 
about  fifty  feet. 

The  church  is  at  the  southwest  end  on  the  southeast  side. 
It  is  about  eighty  feet  long.  The  windows  are  low  and 
arched,  but  there  is  little  left  to  show  what  were  the  attrac- 
tions of  this  church,  so  different  from  any  of  the  others. 
At  one  corner,  doubtless  where  interested  neophytes  have 
stood  looking  with  luminous  eyes  upon  the  movements  of 
the  officiating  padre,  now  stands  a growing  tree. 

The  peculiarity  of  La  Purisima  is  in  the  architectural 
arrangement  of  the  building.  The  church  is  a part,  — one 
large  room  merely,  — in  a structure  that  contains  many 
rooms.  There  is  nothing  that  remains  now  of  the  wings 
that  used  to  connect,  and  the  ploughing  up  of  the  field 
near  by  has  doubtless  destroyed  the  foundations  of  walls, 
did  any  ever  exist. 

An  extensive  view  of  the  valley,  down  to  the  ocean,  can 
be  had  from  the  end  of  the  corridor,  or  from  the  near-by 
hills.  It  was  an  attractive  outlook,  and  gave  the  padres 
here  more  of  a feeling  of  touch  with  the  great  outside  when 
the  glint  of  the  sunshine  upon  the  ocean  greeted  their 
watching  eyes. 

In  regard  to  its  present  ownership  and  condition,  a 
gentleman  interested  writes : 

“ The  abandoned  mission  is  on  ground  which  now  belongs  to 
the  Union  Oil  Company  of  California.  The  building  itself  has 
been  desecrated  and  damaged  by  the  public  ever  since  its 
abandonment.  Its  visitors  apparently  did  not  scruple  to  deface 
it  in  every  possible  way,  and  what  could  not  be  stolen  was  ruth- 
lessly destroyed.  It  apparently  was  a pleasure  to  them  to  pry 
the  massive  roof-beams  loose,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  crash  occa- 
sioned by  the  breaking  of  the  valuable  tile. 


LA  PURISIMA  CONCEPCION 


209 


“ On  top  of  this  the  late  series  of  earthquakes  in  that  section 
threw  down  many  of  the  brick  pillars,  and  twisted  the  remainder 
so  badly  that  the  front  of  the  building  is  a veritable  wreck. 
During  these  earthquakes,  which  lasted  several  weeks,  tile 
which  could  not  be  replaced  for  a thousand  dollars  were  dis- 
placed and  broken.  To  save  the  balance  of  the  tile,  as  well  as 
to  avoid  possible  accidents  to  visitors,  the  secretary  of  the  oil 
company  had  the  remaining  tile  removed  from  the  roof  and 
piled  up  near  the  building  for  safety.” 


£10  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XVII 

SANTA  CRUZ 


IASUEN  found  matters  far  easier  for  him  in  the 
founding  of  Missions  than  did  Serra  in  his  later 
- years.  The  Viceroy  agreed  to  pay  $1000  each 
for  the  expenses  of  the  Missions  of  Santa  Cruz  and  La 
Soledad,  and  $£00  each  for  the  travelling  expenses  of  the 
four  missionaries  needed.  April  1,  1790,  the  guardian 
sent  provisions  and  tools  for  Santa  Cruz  to  the  value  of 
$10£1.  Lasuen  delayed  the  founding  for  awhile,  however, 
as  the  needful  church  ornaments  were  not  at  hand;  but 
as  the  Viceroy  promised  them  and  ordered  him  to  go  ahead 
by  borrowing  the  needed  articles  from  the  other  Missions, 
Lasuen  proceeded  to  the  founding,  as  I have  already 
related. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  1791  the  neophytes  numbered 
84.  In  1796  the  highest  mark  was  reached  with  5£3.  In 
1800  there  were  but  49£.  Up  to  the  end  of  that  year  there 
had  been  949  baptisms,  £71  couples  married,  and  477 
buried.  There  were  £354  head  of  large  stock,  and  £083 
small.  In  179£  the  agricultural  products  were  about  650 
bushels,  as  against  4300  in  1800. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  church  was  laid  February  £7, 
1793,  and  was  completed  and  formally  dedicated  May  10, 
1794  by  Padre  Pena  from  Santa  Clara,  aided  by  five  other 
priests.  Ensign  Sal  was  present  as  godfather,  and  duly 
received  the  keys.  The  neophytes,  servants,  and  troops 
looked  on  at  the  ceremonies  with  unusual  interest,  and  the 
next  day  filled  the  church  at  the  saying  of  the  first  mass. 
The  church  was  about  thirty  by  one  hundred  and  twelve 


Plate  XXX  L 


b.  SANTA  BARBARA  MISSION  AND  FOUNTAIN 


SANTA  CRUZ 


211 


feet  and  twenty-five  feet  high.  The  foundation  walls  to 
the  height  of  three  feet  were  of  stone,  the  front  was  of 
masonry,  and  the  rest  of  adobes.  The  other  buildings  were 
slowly  erected,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1796  a flouring-mill 
was  built  and  running.  It  was  sadly  damaged,  however, 
by  the  December  rains.  Artisans  were  sent  to  build  the 
mill  and  instruct  the  natives,  and  later  a smith  and  a miller 
were  sent  to  start  it. 

In  1798  the  padre  wrote  very  discouragingly.  The 
establishment  of  the  villa  or  town  of  Brancifort,  across  the 
river,  was  not  pleasing.  A hundred  and  thirty-eight  neo- 
phytes also  had  deserted,  ninety  of  whom  were  afterwards 
brought  in  by  Corporal  Mesa.  It  had  long  been  the  inten- 
tion of  the  government  to  found  more  pueblos  or  towns,  as 
well  as  Missions  in  California,  the  former  for  the  purpose 
of  properly  colonizing  the  country.  Governor  Borica 
made  some  personal  explorations,  and  of  three  suggested 
sites  finally  chose  that  just  across  the  river  Lorenzo  from 
Santa  Cruz.  May  12,  1797,  certain  settlers  who  had  been 
recruited  in  Guadalajara  arrived  in  a pitiable  condition  at 
Monterey;  and  soon  thereafter  they  arrived  at  the  new 
site  under  the  direction  of  Comisionado  Moraga,  who  was 
authorized  to  erect  temporary  shelters  for  them.  August 
12  the  superintendent  of  the  formal  foundation,  Cordoba, 
had  all  the  surveying  accomplished,  part  of  an  irrigating 
canal  dug,  and  temporary  houses  partially  erected.  In 
August,  after  the  Viceroy  had  seen  the  estimated  cost  of 
the  establishment,  further  progress  was  arrested  by  want 
of  funds.  Before  the  end  of  the  century  everybody  con- 
cerned had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  villa  of  Branci- 
fort was  a great  blunder,  — the  “ settlers  are  a scandal  to 
the  country  by  their  immorality.  They  detest  their  exile, 
and  render  no  service.” 

In  the  meantime  the  Mission  authorities  protested  vigor- 
ously against  the  new  settlement.  It  was  located  on  the 
pasture  grounds  of  the  Indians ; the  laws  allowed  the  Mis- 


212  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


sions  a league  in  every  direction,  and  trouble  would  surely 
result.  But  the  Governor  retorted,  defending  his  choice  of 
a site,  and  claiming  that  the  neophytes  were  dying  off, 
there  were  no  more  pagans  to  convert,  and  the  neophytes 
already  had  more  land  and  raised  more  grain  than  they 
could  attend  to. 

In  1805  Captain  Goycoechea  recommended  that  as  there 
were  no  more  gentiles,  the  neophytes  be  divided  between  the 
Missions  of  Santa  Clara  and  San  Juan,  and  the  mission- 
aries sent  to  new  fields.  Of  course  nothing  came  of  this. 

On  the  12th  of  October,  1812,  Padre  Quintana  was 
found  dead  in  his  bed.  On  investigation  it  was  decided 
that  the  friar,  who  for  some  time  had  been  in  poor  health, 
unable  to  dress  himself  unaided,  had  died  a natural  death. 
Two  years  later,  however,  rumors  led  to  a new  investiga- 
tion, and  it  was  then  learned  that  he  had  been  called  out  of 
his  bed  to  attend  a dying  man,  set  on,  and  brutally  mur- 
dered and  mutilated  in  an  unnamable  fashion,  and  then 
carefully  placed  in  his  bed  and  the  door  locked.  The  cul- 
prit neophytes  were  discovered,  and  five  out  of  the  nine 
arrested  were  sentenced  to  receive  two  hundred  lashes  each, 
and  then  to  work  in  chains  from  two  to  ten  years.  Two 
others  died  in  prison,  and  another  died  in  1817  in  Santa 
Barbara.  Only  one  survived  the  punishment.  The  plea 
of  the  murderers  was  that  Quintana  was  excessively  cruel, 
that  he  had  beaten  two  neophytes  almost  to  death,  and  was 
inventing  a new  instrument  of  torture,  to  prevent  the  use 
of  which  his  death  was  determined  upon.  This  charge 
was  carefully  investigated  by  the  military  authorities  and 
denied  with  emphasis. 

Bouchard’s  advent  caused  a flurry  at  Santa  Cruz  in 
1818.  Padre  Olbes  was  ordered  to  pack  up  and  send  every- 
thing for  safety  to  Soledad.  In  October  he  sarcastically 
wrote  that  all  were  astir  both  at  the  Mission  and  the  villa 
of  Brancifort,  expecting  the  insurgents,  “ not  to  fight,  but 
to  join  them,  for  such  is  the  disposition  of  the  inhabitants.” 


SANTA  CRUZ 


213 


In  November  and  December  the  irate  padre  reported  that 
on  the  approach  of  the  two  vessels  the  people  of  Brancifort 
had  deliberately  sacked  the  Mission  with  the  intention  of 
charging  it  upon  Bouchard.  But,  as  the  wind  prevented 
a landing,  they  were  left  in  the  lurch.  Olbes  was  excited 
and  forceful  in  his  charges.  The  scoundrels  had  stolen 
every  movable  article,  had  destroyed  everything  that  could 
not  be  moved,  and  they  had  desecrated  the  church  and  the 
holy  images.  He  declared  he  would  abandon  the  estab- 
lishment rather  than  longer  submit  to  the  outrages  of  such 
wretches. 

Naturally  such  charges  could  not  be  neglected,  and  in- 
vestigations were  instituted,  the  Mission  in  the  meantime 
being  abandoned,  and  Olbes  growing  more  violent  as  the 
“ pretended  investigation  ” proceeded.  The  upshot  of  it 
all  was  that  the  trouble  grew  out  of  Governor  Sola’s  giving 
an  order  that  Santa  Cruz  be  abandoned,  and  then  sending 
another  order  to  Comisionado  Buelna  of  Brancifort  to  the 
effect  that  he  was  to  go  to  the  Mission,  and  if  it  was  aban- 
doned he  was  to  remove  all  the  property.  On  the  morning 
of  the  23d  of  November  Olbes  with  his  neophytes  set  out 
for  Santa  Clara.  On  the  24th  Buelna  went  as  ordered,  and 
found  the  buildings  vacant,  so  he  proceeded  to  carry  out 
his  orders,  forcing  some  of  the  doors  to  do  so.  In  the  mean- 
time the  majordomo  of  the  Mission  and  a few  Indians, 
having  doubtless  heard  that  Bouchard  had  not  landed,  re- 
turned to  the  Mission  to  save  some  of  the  Mission  goods. 
Imagine  their  amazement  at  finding  Buelna  already  there, 
dismantling  everything.  When  the  Governor’s  order  was 
understood,  however,  the  two  parties  joined  in  the  work; 
and  as  one  or  two  casks  of  wine  and  aguardiente  could  not 
be  carried  away  they  were  spilled.  Possibly  some  of  the 
liquor  got  into  the  throats  of  the  workers.  The  result  of 
this  on  the  workers  was  not  to  promote  care,  and  there  is 
no  doubt  many  reckless  acts  were  performed.  Some  of  the 
Mission  goods  were  buried  or  otherwise  concealed;  others 


214  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


were  taken  by  the  majordomo  in  a cart  to  Santa  Clara, 
and  others  listed  by  Buelna  and  removed  to  the  villa. 
Among  the  latter  things  was  a trunk  of  the  padre’s,  which, 
unfortunately,  was  broken  into;  and  certain  stockings  given 
to  a young  lady  led  to  the  detection  of  the  criminals,  two 
of  whom  were  duly  punished.  This  investigation  calmed 
the  wrath  of  the  clerical  authorities,  who  soon  saw  that 
Olbes  had  been  unduly  excited,  and  the  irate  padre  in  a 
short  time  dutifully  returned  to  his  work. 

In  February,  1819,  however,  he  was  again  in  trouble. 
All  but  three  of  his  neophytes  fled  because  some  one  had 
told  them  that  the  villa  soldiers  were  coming  to  take  them 
prisoners.  But  later  on  they  returned  and  all  was  calm 
again.  The  crops  were  good,  and  the  cattle  and  sheep 
herds  increasing. 

In  the  decade  1820—30  population  declined  rapidly, 
though  in  live-stock  the  Mission  about  held  its  own,  and  in 
agriculture  actually  increased.  In  1823,  however,  there 
was  another  attempt  to  suppress  it,  and  this  doubtless  came 
from  the  conflicts  between  the  villa  of  Brancifort  and  the 
Mission.  The  effort,  like  the  former  one,  was  unsuccessful. 

In  1834-35  Ignacio  del  Valle  acted  as  comisionado,  and 
put  in  effect  the  order  of  secularization.  His  valuation  of 
the  property  was  $47,000,  exclusive  of  land  and  church 
property,  besides  $10,000  distributed  to  the  Indians.  There 
were  no  subsequent  distributions,  yet  the  property  disap- 
peared, for,  in  1839,  when  Visitador  Hartwell  went  to 
Santa  Cruz  he  found  only  about  one  sixth  of  the  live-stock 
of  the  inventory  of  four  years  ago.  The  neophytes  were 
organized  into  a pueblo,  named  Figueroa  after  the  Gover- 
nor ; but  it  was  a mere  organization  in  name,  and,  the  con- 
dition of  the  ex-Mission  was  no  different  from  that  of  any 
of  the  others. 

The  statistics  for  the  whole  period  of  the  Mission’s  ex- 
istence, 1791-1834  are:  baptisms,  2466;  marriages,  847; 
deaths,  2035.  The  largest  population  was  644  in  1798. 


SANTA  CRUZ 


215 


The  largest  number  of  cattle  was  3700  in  1828 ; horses, 
900,  in  the  same  year ; mules,  92,  in  1805  ; sheep,  8300,  in 
1826. 

In  January,  1840,  an  earthquake  and  tidal  wave  brought 
disaster.  The  tower  fell,  and  a number  of  tiles  were  car- 
ried off,  a kind  of  premonition  of  the  final  disaster  of  1851, 
when  the  walls  fell,  and  treasure  seekers  completed  the  work 
of  demolition. 

The  community  of  the  Mission  was  completely  broken  up 
in  1841—42,  everything  being  regarded,  henceforth,  as 
part  of  Brancifort.  In  1845  the  lands,  buildings,  and 
fruit  trees  of  the  ex-Mission  were  valued  at  less  than 
$1000,  and  only  about  forty  Indians  were  known  to  remain. 
The  Mission  has  now  entirely  disappeared. 


216  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

LA  SOLEDAD 

THE  Mission  of  46  Our  Lady  of  Solitude  99  has  only 
brief  record  in  written  history ; but  the  little  that 
is  known  and  the  present  condition  of  the  ruins 
suggest  much  that  has  never  been  recorded. 

Early  in  1791  Padre  Lasuen,  who  was  searching  for  suit- 
able locations  for  two  new  Missions,  arrived  at  a point  mid- 
way between  San  Antonio  and  Santa  Clara.  With  quick 
perception  he  recognized  the  advantages  of  Soledad,  known 
to  the  Indians  as  Chuttusgelis.  The  name  of  this  region, 
bestowed  by  Crespf  years  previous,  was  suggestive  of  its 
solitude  and  dreariness ; but  the  wide,  vacant  fields  indi- 
cated good  pasturage  in  seasons  favored  with  much  rain, 
and  the  possibility  of  securing  water  for  irrigation  prom- 
ised crops  from  the  arid  lands.  Lasuen  immediately  se- 
lected the  most  advantageous  site  for  the  new  Mission,  but 
several  months  elapsed  before  circumstances  permitted  the 
erection  of  the  first  rude  structures. 

On  October  9 he  returned,  attended  by  Lieutenant  Ar- 
giiello  and  the  guards,  two  priests,  and  a few  Indians.  It 
would  not  require  a very  vivid  imagination  to  conceive  that 
the  inauguration  ceremonies  of  ushering  into  existence  the 
thirteenth  Franciscan  Mission  were  most  impressive,  — the 
little  band  assembled  being  the  only  visible  occupants  of 
thousands  of  acres,  bare  and  brown,  stretching  away  on 
every  side  in  undisturbed  silence.  Little  did  the  venerable 
padre  dream  of  the  pathetic  scenes  to  be  enacted  in  that 
quiet  spot,  or  of  the  fragments  that  a century  later  would 
mark  the  place  consecrated  by  him,  as  with  placid  face  and 


Plate  XXXII 


b 

RUINS  OF  LA  SOLEDAD  MISSION 


LA  SOLEDAD 


217 


hopeful  heart  he  planted  the  Mission  cross  in  the  stillness 
of  that  peaceful  day. 

There  were  comparatively  few  Indians  in  that  immediate 
region,  and  qnly  eleven  converts  were  reported  as  the  result 
of  the  efforts  of  the  first  year.  There  was  ample  room  for 
flocks  and  herds,  and  although  the  soil  was  not  of  the  best 
and  much  irrigation  was  necessary  to  produce  good  crops, 
the  padres  with  their  persistent  labors  gradually  increased 
their  possessions  and  the  number  of  their  neophytes.  At 
the  close  of  the  ninth  year  there  were  512  Indians  living 
at  the  Mission,  and  their  property  included  a thousand 
cattle,  several  thousand  sheep,  and  a good  supply  of  horses. 
Five  years  later  (in  1805)  there  were  727  neophytes,  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  a severe  epidemic  a few  years  pre- 
vious had  reduced  their  numbers  and  caused  many  to  flee 
from  the  Mission  in  fear.  A new  church  was  begun  in 
1808. 

On  the  24th  of  July,  1814,  Governor  Arrillaga,  who  had 
been  taken  seriously  ill  while  on  a tour  of  inspection,  and 
had  hurried  to  Soledad  to  be  under  the  care  of  his  old 
friend,  Padre  Ibanez,  died  there,  and  was  buried,  July  26, 
under  the  centre  of  the  church. 

Being  inland,  Soledad  was  named  as  the  place  of  refuge 
during  the  alarm  caused  by  the  appearance  of  Bouchard; 
and  while  there  is  little  of  definite  record,  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  several  bands  of  families  from  the  different  Mis- 
sions did  rendezvous  here. 

For  about  forty  years  priests  and  natives  lived  a quiet, 
peaceful  life  in  this  secluded  valley,  with  an  abundance  of 
food  and  comfortable  shelter.  That  they  were  blessed  with 
plenty  and  prosperity  is  evidenced  by  the  record  that  in 
1829  they  furnished  $1150  to  the  Monterey  presidio.  At 
one  time  they  possessed  over  6000  cattle;  and  in  1821  the 
number  of  cattle,  sheep,  horses,  and  other  animals  was  esti- 
mated at  over  16,000.  One  writer  credits  them  with  having 
an  aqueduct  fifteen  miles  long,  supplying  water  for  irri- 


218  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


gating  thousands  of  acres;  but  I have  not  made  careful 
enough  examination  to  know  whether  this  statement  has 
any  foundation  in  fact. 

After  the  changes  brought  about  by  political  adminis- 
tration the  number  of  Indians  rapidly  decreased,  and  the 
property  acquired  by  their  united  toil  quickly  dwindled 
away,  until  little  was  left  but  poverty  and  suffering. 

At  the  time  secularization  was  effected  in  1835,  accord- 
ing to  the  inventory  made,  the  estate,  aside  from  church 
property,  was  valued  at  $36,000.  Six  years  after  secular 
authorities  took  charge  only  about  70  Indians  remained, 
with  45  cattle,  25  horses,  and  865  sheep,  — and  a large 
debt  had  been  incurred.  On  the  4th  of  June,  1846,  the 
Soledad  Mission  was  sold  to  Feliciano  Soberanes  for 
$800. 

One  of  the  pitiful  cases  that  occurred  during  the  decline 
of  the  Missions  was  the  death  of  Padre  Sarrfa,  which  took 
place  at  Soledad  in  1835,  or,  as  some  authorities  state,  in 
1838.  This  venerable  priest  had  been  very  prominent  in 
missionary  labors,  having  occupied  the  position  of  com- 
misario  prefecto  during  many  years.  He  was  also  the 
president  for  several  years.  As  a loyal  Spaniard  he  de- 
clined to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Mexican  Repub- 
lic, and  was  nominally  under  arrest  for  about  five  years,  or 
subject  to  exile;  but  so  greatly  was  he  revered  and  trusted 
as  a man  of  integrity  and  great  ability  as  a business  man- 
ager that  the  order  of  exile  was  never  enforced.  The  last 
years  of  his  life  were  spent  at  the  Mission  of  Our  Lady  of 
Solitude.  When  devastation  began  and  the  temporal  pros- 
perity of  the  Mission  quickly  declined,  this  faithful  pastor 
of  a fast  thinning  flock  refused  to  leave  the  few  poverty- 
stricken  Indians  who  still  sought  to  prolong  life  in  their 
old  home.  One  Sunday  morning,  while  saying  mass  in  the 
little  church,  the  enfeebled  and  aged  padre  fell  before  the 
altar  and  immediately  expired.  As  it  had  been  reported 
that  he  was  “ leading  a hermit’s  life  and  destitute  of 


LA  SOLEDAD 


219 


means,”  it  was  commonly  believed  that  this  worthy  and 
devoted  missionary  was  exhausted  from  lack  of  proper 
food,  and  in  reality  died  of  starvation. 

There  were  still  a few  Indians  at  Soledad  in  1850,  their 
scattered  huts  being  all  that  remained  of  the  once  large 
rancherfas  that  existed  here. 

The  ruins  of  Soledad  are  about  four  miles  from  the 
station  of  the  Southern  Pacific  of  that  name.  The  church 
itself  is  at  the  southwest  corner  of  a mass  of  ruins.  These 
are  all  of  adobe,  though  the  foundations  are  of  rough 
rock.  Flint  pebbles  have  been  mixed  with  the  adobe  of 
the  church  walls.  They  were  originally  about  three 
feet  thick,  and  plastered.  A little  of  the  plaster  still 
remains. 

In  1904  there  was  but  one  circular  arch  remaining  in  all 
the  ruins;  everything  else  has  fallen  in.  The  roof  fell  in 
thirty  years  ago.  At  the  eastern  end,  where  the  arch  is, 
there  are  three  or  four  rotten  beams  still  in  place ; and  on 
the  south  side  of  the  ruins,  where  one  line  of  corridors  ran, 
a few  poles  are  still  in  place.  Heaps  of  ruined  tiles  lie  here 
and  there,  just  as  they  fell  when  the  supporting  poles 
rotted  and  gave  way. 

It  is  claimed  by  the  Soberanes  family  in  Soledad  that 
the  present  ruins  of  the  church  are  of  the  building  erected 
about  1850  by  their  grandfather.  The  family  lived  in 
a house  just  southwest  of  the  Mission,  and  there  this  grand- 
father was  born.  He  was  baptized,  confirmed,  and  married 
in  the  old  church,  and  when,  after  secularization,  the  Mis- 
sion property  was  offered  for  sale  he  purchased  it.  As  the 
church  — in  the  years  of  pitiful  struggle  for  possession 
of  its  temporalities  — had  been  allowed  to  go  to  ruin, 
this  true  son  of  the  church  erected  the  building,  the 
ruins  of  which  now  bring  sadness  to  the  hearts  of  all  who 
care. 

Over  the  entrance  is  a niche  in  which  a statue  of  Our 
Lady  of  Solitude  — La  Soledad  — used  to  stand.  Me- 


220  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


thinks  that  if  the  ghosts  of  things  that  were  exist,  surely 
a weeping  ghost  of  the  Lady  of  Solitude  haunts  these 
deserted  and  forlorn  ruins. 

Weep ! weep ! for  the  church  of  Our  Lady  of  Solitude. 
It  is  entirely  in  ruins.  The  adobe  walls  are  rapidly  melting 
away.  For  years  it  has  stood  exposed  to  the  weather,  noth- 
ing whatever  being  done  to  preserve  it.  It  is  roofless  and 
unprotected.  The  winds  howl  around  it,  the  rains  beat 
upon  it,  the  fierce  sun  shines  upon  it,  and  all  do  their  part 
to  aid  in  its  more  speedy  dissolution!  It  is  not  demolition ; 
that  could  better  be  borne  than  this  heartless  abandon- 
ment, this  careless  indifference,  this  hateful  casting  aside 
of  a once  noble  building,  dedicated  to  high  and  blessed 
purposes,  sanctified  by  the  earnest  labors  of  devoted 
men.  It  seems  as  if  the  building  itself  felt  its  deser- 
tion, though  smiling  fields  of  wheat  and  barley  surround 
it.  Nay,  these  evidences  of  material  prosperity  so  close 
at  hand  only  serve  to  accentuate  the  devastation  of  the 
old  Mission. 

The  visitor  to  Soledad  at  the  present  day  will  find  satis- 
faction in  a few  minutes  spent  at  the  parish  church  of  the 
new  railway  town.  In  the  sacristy  the  Rev.  Andrew  Gar- 
riga,  the  present  priest,  carefully  treasures  a chasuble  said 
to  be  over  a hundred  years  old,  which  was  worn  by  the 
officiating  padres  at  Old  Soledad  Mission.  It  is  in  perfect 
condition.  Father  Garriga  also  has  a painting  of  Our 
Lady  of  Solitude  that  differs  in  spirit  from  any  I have  ever 
seen.  As  a rule,  pictures  of  the  Virgin  Mother  after  her 
Son  had  ascended  show  her  clad  in  mourning,  with  swords 
in  her  heart,  the  former  symbolic  of  her  desolation,  and  the 
latter  of  the  sorrow  that  had  pierced  her  soul.  “ But,” 
says  Father  Garriga,  “ may  it  not  be  possible  that  this  is 
an  erroneous  conception.  Can  it  be  thought  possible  that 
the  Holy  Virgin  was  not  conscious  of  some  of  the  wonderful 
meaning  of  the  resurrection  of  her  Divine  Son?  So,  while 
she  is  alone,  the  Lady  of  Solitude,  she  is  yet  filled  with 


LA  SOLEDAD 


221 


unspeakable  joy  at  the  great  work  accomplished  in  her 
son;  and  that  is  just  beginning  for  the  human  race.” 
With  these  thoughts  in  mind  he  found  an  artist  in  a Mr. 
Downing,  of  San  Francisco,  who,  in  1903,  painted  the 
picture  that  now  hangs  in  the  little  chapel. 


222  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XIX 
* 

SAN  JOSE  DE  GUADALUPE 

THERE  was  a period  of  rest  after  the  founding  of 
Santa  Cruz  and  La  Soledad.  Padre  presidente 
Lasuen  was  making  ready  for  a new  and  great 
effort.  Hitherto  the  Mission  establishments  had  been  iso- 
lated units  of  civilization,  each  one  alone  in  its  work  save 
for  the  occasional  visits  of  governor,  inspector,  or  presi- 
dente. Now  they  were  to  be  linked  together,  by  the  found- 
ing of  intermediate  missions,  into  one  great  chain,  near 
enough  for  mutual  help  and  encouragement,  the  boundary 
of  one  practically  the  boundary  of  the  next  one,  both  north 
and  south.  The  two  new  foundations  of  Santa  Cruz  and 
Soledad  were  a step  in  this  direction,  but  now  the  plan  was 
to  be  completed.  With  the  Viceroy’s  approval  Governor 
Borica  authorized  Lasuen  to  have  the  regions  between  the 
old  Missions  carefully  explored  for  new  sites.  Accordingly 
the  padres  and  their  guards  were  sent  out,  and  simultane- 
ously a work  of  investigation  began  never  before  known. 
Reports  were  sent  in,  and  finally  after  a careful  study  of 
the  whole  situation  it  was  concluded  that  five  new  Missions 
could  be  established  and  a great  annual  saving  thereby 
made  in  future  yearly  expenses.  Governor  Borica’s  idea 
was  that  the  new  Missions  would  convert  all  the  gentile 
Indians  west  of  the  Coast  Range.  This  done,  the  guards 
could  be  reduced  at  an  annual  saving  of  $15,000.  This 
showing  pleased  the  Viceroy,  and  he  agreed  to  provide  the 
$1000  needed  for  each  new  establishment  on  the  condition 
that  no  added  military  force  be  called  for.  The  guardian 
of  San  Fernando  College  was  so  notified  August  19,  1796; 


SAN  JOSE  DE  GUADALUPE 


223 


and  on  September  29  he  in  turn  announced  to  the  Viceroy 
that  the  required  ten  missionaries  were  ready,  but  begged 
that  no  reduction  be  made  in  the  guards  at  the  Missions 
already  established.  Lasuen  felt  that  it  would  create  large 
demands  upon  the  old  Missions  to  found  so  many  new  ones 
all  at  once,  as  they  must  help  with  cattle,  horses,  sheep, 
neophyte  laborers,  etc. ; yet,  to  obtain  the  Missions,  he  was 
willing  to  do  his  very  best,  and  felt  sure  his  brave  associates 
would  further  his  efforts  in  every  possible  way.  Thus  it 
was  that  San  Jose  was  founded,  as  before  related,  on  June 
11,  1797.  The  same  day  all  returned  to  Santa  Clara,  and 
five  days  elapsed  ere  the  guards  and  laborers  were  sent  to 
begin  work.  Timbers  were  cut  and  water  brought  to  the 
location,  and  soon  the  temporary  buildings  were  ready  for 
occupancy.  By  the  end  of  the  year  there  were  33  converts, 
and  in  1800,  286.  A wooden  structure  with  a grass  roof 
served  as  a church. 

The  mountain  Indians  near  San  Jose  did  not  like  the 
presence  of  the  missionaries,  consequently  the  padres  were 
apprehensive  of  trouble  from  the  very  start.  Yet  nothing 
of  a serious  nature  occurred  until  January,  1805.  Then, 
Padre  Cueva  was  called  upon  to  visit  some  sick  neophytes 
living  in  a rancherfa  some  ten  or  fifteen  miles  to  the  east. 
He  was  escorted  by  Majordomo  Higuera  and  two  soldiers, 
as  well  as  accompanied  by  a few  neophytes.  Either  he  was 
treacherously  guided  to  the  wrong  rancherfa,  and  was  there 
attacked,  or  he  was  set  on  by  hostiles  on  his  return  (the 
records  are  not  clear),  and  Higuera  killed,  the  padre  struck 
in  the  face,  a soldier  badly  wounded,  three  neophytes  and 
all  the  horses  killed.  Though  so  badly  demoralized,  the  re- 
maining soldier  fought  on,  killed  a gentile,  checked  the  pur- 
suit, and  managed  to  get  back  to  the  Mission.  The  news 
was  forwarded  to  San  Francisco,  and  immediately  a force 
was  sent  out,  augmented  to  34  by  settlers  from  San  Jose, 
under  Sergeant  Peralta,  who  followed  the  now  fleeing  hos- 
tiles, killed  eleven  of  them,  and  captured  thirty,  mostly 


224  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


women.  Peralta  made  another  raid  in  February,  but  found 
nothing  but  penitence  and  submission,  one  chieftain  coming 
from  as  far  as  the  San  Joaquin  River  to  assure  the  officer 
that  he  and  his  people  had  taken  no  part  in  the  attack. 

In  April,  1806,  Langsdorff  visited  Mission  San  Jose, 
where  Padre  Cueva  hospitably  received  him,  arranged  an 
Indian  dance  for  his  entertainment  (which  he  pictures), 
and  generally  made  a holiday  in  his  honor.  His  first  at- 
tempt to  reach  the  Mission  by  boat  was  unsuccessful;  but 
on  the  second  attempt,  made  a few  days  later,  after  per- 
petually going  astray  up  wrong  channels,  he  managed  to 
find  a landing  ten  miles  away  from  the  Mission.  Of  the 
Mission  buildings,  etc.,  he  says: 

“ Although  it  is  only  eight  years  since  they  were  begun,  they 
are  already  of  very  considerable  extent : the  quantity  of  corn  in 
the  granaries  far  exceeded  my  expectations.  . . . The  kitchen 
garden  is  well  laid  out,  and  kept  in  very  good  order ; the  soil  is 
everywhere  rich  and  fertile,  and  yields  ample  returns.  The 
fruit-trees  are  still  very  young,  but  their  produce  is  as  good  as 
could  be  expected.  A small  rivulet  runs  through  the  garden, 
which  preserves  a constant  moisture.  Some  vineyards  have 
been  planted  within  a few  years,  which  yield  excellent  wine, 
sweet  and  resembling  malaga. 

“The  situation  of  the  Mission  is  admirably  chosen,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  universal  opinion,  this  Mission  will  in  a few 
years  be  the  richest  and  best  in  New  California.  The  only  dis- 
advantage is,  that  there  are  no  large  trees  very  near.  ...  To 
compensate  this  disadvantage,  there  are  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  mission  chalk-hills,  and  excellent  brick  earth  so  that  most 
of  their  buildings  are  of  brick.  The  organization  of  the  institu- 
tion is  entirely  the  same  as  at  San  Francisco.  The  habitations 
for  the  Indians,  las  ranchenas,  are  not  yet  finished,  so  that  at 
present  they  live  chiefly  in  straw  huts  of  a conical  form.” 

In  1809,  April  23,  the  new  church  was  completed,  and 
President  Tapis  came  and  blessed  it.  The  following  day 
he  preached,  and  Padre  Arroyo  de  la  Cuesta  said  mass 
before  a large  congregation,  including  other  priests,  sev- 


SAN  JOSE  DE  GUADALUPE 


225 


eral  of  the  military,  and  people  from  the  pueblo  and  Santa 
Clara,  and  various  neophytes.  The  following  July  the 
cemetery  was  blessed  with  the  usual  solemnities. 

In  1811  Padre  Fortuni  accompanied  Padre  Abella  on  a 
journey  of  exploration  to  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin 
valleys.  They  were  gone  fifteen  days,  found  the  Indians 
very  timid,  and  thought  the  shores  of  the  Sacramento  of- 
fered a favorable  site  for  a new  Mission. 

In  1817  Sergeant  Soto,  with  one  hundred  San  Jose  neo- 
phytes, met  twelve  soldiers  from  San  Francisco,  and  pro- 
ceeded, by  boat,  to  pursue  some  fugitives.  They  went  up 
a river,  possibly  the  San  Joaquin,  to  a marshy  island 
where,  according  to  Soto’s  report,  a thousand  hostiles  were 
assembled,  who  immediately  fell  upon  their  pursuers  and 
fought  them  for  three  hours.  So  desperately  did  they 
fight,  relying  upon  their  superior  numbers,  that  Soto  was 
doubtful  as  to  the  result;  but  eventually  they  broke  and 
fled,  swimming  to  places  of  safety,  leaving  many  dead  and 
wounded  but  no  captives.  Only  one  neophyte  warrior  was 
killed. 

In  1820  San  Jose  reported  a population  of  1754,  with 
6859  large  stock,  859  horses,  etc.,  and  12,000  sheep. 

For  twenty-seven  years  Padre  Duran,  who  from  1825 
to  1827  was  also  the  padre  presidente,  served  Mission  San 
Jose.  In  1824  it  reached  its  maximum  of  population  in 
1806  souls.  In  eve^thing  it  was  prosperous,  standing 
fourth  on  the  list  both  as  to  crops  and  herds. 

Owing  to  its  situation,  being  the  first  Mission  reached 
by  trappers,  etc.,  from  the  East,  and  also  being  the  nearest 
to  the  valleys  of  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin,  which 
afforded  good  retreats  for  fugitives,  San  Jose  had  an 
exciting  history.  In  1826  there  was  an  expedition  against 
the  Cosumnes,  in  which  forty  Indians  were  killed,  a ran- 
cherfa  destroyed,  and  forty  captives  taken.  In  1829  the 
famous  campaign  against  Estanislas,  who  has  given  his 
name  to  both  a river  and  county,  took  place.  This  Indian 


226  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


was  a neophyte  of  San  Jose,  and  being  of  more  than  usual 
ability  and  smartness  was  made  alcalde.  In  1827  or  early 
in  1828  he  ran  away,  and  with  a companion,  Cipriano,  and 
a large  following,  soon  made  himself  the  terror  of  the  ran- 
cheros  of  the  neighborhood.  One  expedition  sent  against 
him  resulted  disastrously,  owing  to  insufficient  equipment, 
so  a determined  effort  under  M.  G.  Vallejo,  who  was  now 
the  commander-in-chief  of  the  whole  California  army,  was 
made.  May  29  he  and  his  forces  crossed  the  San  Joaquin 
river  on  rafts,  and  arrived  the  next  day  at  the  scene  of 
the  former  battle.  With  taunts,  yells  of  defiance,  and  a 
shower  of  arrows,  Estanislas  met  the  coming  army,  he  and 
his  forces  hidden  in  the  fancied  security  of  an  impenetrable 
forest.  Vallejo  at  once  set  men  to  work  in  different  direc- 
tions to  fire  the  wood,  which  brought  some  of  the  Indians 
to  the  edge,  where  they  were  slain.  As  evening  came  on 
twenty-five  men  and  an  officer  entered  the  wood  and  fought 
until  dusk,  retiring  with  three  men  wounded.  Next  morn- 
ing Vallejo,  with  thirty-seven  soldiers,  entered  the  wood, 
where  he  found  pits,  ditches,  and  barricades  arranged  with 
considerable  skill.  Nothing  but  fire  could  have  dislodged 
the  enemy.  They  had  fled  under  cover  of  night.  Vallejo 
set  off  in  pursuit,  and  when  two  days  later  he  surrounded 
them  they  declared  they  would  die  rather  than  surrender. 
A road  was  cut  through  the  chaparral  with  axes,  along 
which  the  field  piece  and  muskets  were  pressed  forward  and 
discharged.  The  Indians  retreated  slowly,  wounding  eight 
soldiers.  When  the  cannon  was  close  to  the  enemies’  in- 
trenchments  the  ammunition  gave  out,  and  this  fact  and 
the  heat  of  the  burning  thicket  compelled  retreat.  During 
the  night  the  Indians  endeavored  to  escape,  one  by  one,  but 
most  of  them  were  killed  by  the  watchful  guards.  The 
next  day  nothing  but  the  dead  and  three  living  women  were 
found.  There  were  some  accusations,  later,  that  Vallejo 
summarily  executed  some  captives ; but  he  denied  it,  and 
claimed  that  the  only  justification  for  any  such  charge 


SAN  JOSE  DE  GUADALUPE 


227 


arose  from  the  fact  that  one  man  and  one  woman  had  been 
killed,  the  latter  wrongfully  by  a soldier,  whom  he  advised 
be  punished. 

California  in  those  days  was  not  hospitably  disposed  to 
unknown  and  unaccredited  foreigners,  so  when,  in  1826, 
Jedediah  Smith  appeared  in  the  province,  having  come 
from  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  he  was  looked  upon  with  sus- 
picion. After  various  experiences  with  officials  in  the 
South,  on  working  his  way  northward  he  finally  reached 
Mission  San  Jose.  Padre  Duran  afterwards  accused  him 
of  enticing  four  hundred  of  his  neophytes  to  run  away,  but 
investigation  did  not  confirm  the  charge.  Meeting  with 
nothing  but  hostility,  Smith  crossed  the  Sierras,  — the  first 
known  case  on  record,  — and  in  twenty-eight  days  reached 
Salt  Lake,  having  had  to  eat  the  horses  that  had  succumbed 
to  the  rigors  of  the  trip. 

Later  Smith  returned,  was  vouched  for  by  Captain 
Cooper  at  Monterey,  and  allowed  to  go  back  with  full 
equipment  of  mules,  horses,  and  provisions.  He  was  killed 
in  1831  in  New  Mexico. 

Up  to  the  time  of  secularization  the  Mission  continued 
to  be  one  of  the  most  prosperous.  Jesus  Vallejo  was  the 
administrator  for  secularization,  and  in  1837  he  and  Padre 
Gonzalez  Rubio  made  an  inventory  which  gave  a total  of 
over  $155,000,  when  all  debts  were  paid.  Even  now  for 
awhile  it  seemed  to  prosper,  and  not  until  1840  did  the 
decline  set  in. 

Captain  Sutter  of  New  Helvetia,  one  of  the  best  known 
of  the  early  California  pioneers,  had  trouble  in  1839  with 
a band  of  San  Jose  Indians,  who  came  to  him  with  a pass 
from  the  padres,  entitling  them  to  visit  their  relatives,  the 
Ochumnes.  Sutter  permitted  them  certain  privileges,  but 
ere  long  they  attacked  a rancherfa  of  Zalesumnes,  many  of 
whom,  under  Pulpule,  were  working  for  Sutter.  They 
killed  seven  of  the  men,  and  stole  all  the  women  and  chil- 
dren. This  treachery  so  incensed  Sutter  that  he  joined 


228  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


forces  with  Pulpule,  freed  the  captives,  and  finally  shot 
ten  of  the  aggressors,  and  delivered  all  the  other  San  Jose 
neophytes  he  could  catch  to  the  authorities. 

In  accordance  with  Micheltorena’s  decree  of  March  29, 
1843,  San  Jose  was  restored  to  the  temporal  control  of  the 
padres,  who  entered  with  good-will  and  zest  into  the  labor 
of  saving  what  they  could  out  of  the  wreck.  Under  Pico’s 
decree  of  1845  the  Mission  was  inventoried,  but  the  docu- 
ment cannot  now  be  found,  nor  a copy  of  it.  The  popula- 
tion was  reported  as  400  in  1842,  and  it  is  supposed  that 
possibly  250  still  lived  at  the  Mission  in  1845.  On  the 
5th  of  May,  1846,  Pico  sold  all  the  property  to  Andres 
Pico  and  J.  B.  Alvarado  for  $12,000,  but  the  sale  never 
went  into  effect. 

* Mission  San  Jose  de  Guadalupe  and  the  pueblo  of  the 
same  name  are  not,  as  so  many  people,  even  residents  of 
California,  think,  one  and  the  same.  The  pueblo  of  San 
Jose  is  now  the  modern  city  of  that  name,  the  home  of  the 
State  Normal  School,  and  the  starting-point  for  Mount 
Hamilton.  But  Mission  San  Jose  is  a small  settlement, 
nearly  twenty  miles  east  and  north,  in  the  foothills  over- 
looking the  southeast  end  of  San  Francisco  Bay.  The 
Mission  church  has  entirely  disappeared,  an  earthquake 
in  1868  having  completed  the  ruin  begun  by  the  spoliation 
at  the  time  of  secularization.  A modern  parish  church  has 
since  been  built  upon  the  site.  Nothing  of  the  original 
Mission  now  remains  except  a portion  of  the  monastery. 
The  corridor  is  without  arches,  and  is  plain  and  unpreten- 
tious, the  roof  being  composed  of  willows  tied  to  the 
roughly  hewn  log  rafters  with  rawhide.  Behind  this  is  a 
beautiful  old  alameda  of  olives,  at  the  upper  end  of  which 
a modern  orphanage,  conducted  by  the  Dominican  Sisters, 
has  been  erected.  This  avenue  of  olives  is  crossed  by  an- 
other one  at  right  angles,  and  both  were  planted  by  the 
padres  in  the  early  days,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  age  of  the 
trees.  Doubtless  many  a procession  of  Indian  neophytes 


Plate  XXXIII 


PROCESSION  OF  SISTERS  AND  ORPHANS  AT  MISSION  SAN  JOSE 


SAN  JOSE  DE  GUADALUPE 


229 


has  walked  up  and  down  here,  even  as  I saw  a procession 
of  the  orphans  and  their  white-garbed  guardians  a short 
time  ago.  The  surrounding  garden  is  kept  up  in  as  good 
style  under  the  care  of  the  sisters  as  it  was  in  early  days 
by  the  padres. 

What  a fine  location  it  is!  With  beautiful  rolling  hills 
behind,  the  Mission  Peak  to  the  south,  the  front  view  lead- 
ing the  eye  over  fertile  meadows  and  pasture  land  to  what 
was  once  swamp  land,  — but  now  reclaimed  and  more  pro- 
ductive than  the  dreams  of  the  padres  ever  contemplated 
f or  their  best  hilly  soil,  — beyond  which  is  the  placid  and 
silvery  face  of  the  bay.  Even  then  the  eye  cannot  rest, 
for  further  still  on  the  western  shore  are  trees,  foothills, 
and  the  bold  Santa  Cruz  range.  During  the  rainy  season 
all  this  verdure  and  woods  is  washed  clean,  and  everything 
is  rich,  green,  and  beautiful.  In  the  summer  the  green  is 
contrasted  with  the  gold,  and  in  the  fall  and  winter  new 
tints  come  into  the  leaves  about  to  fall. 

The  orphanage  was  erected  in  1884  by  Archbishop  Ale- 
many  as  a seminary  for  young  men  who  wished  to  study 
for  the  priesthood,  but  it  was  never  very  successful  in  this 
work.  For  awhile  it  remained  empty,  then  was  offered 
to  the  Dominican  Sisters  as  a boarding-school.  But  as  this 
undertaking  did  not  pay,  in  1891  Archbishop  Riordan 
offered  such  terms  as  led  the  Mother  General  of  the  Domin- 
ican Sisters  to  purchase  it  as  an  orphanage,  and  as  such  it 
is  now  most  successfully  conducted.  There  are  at  the  pres- 
ent time  about  eighty  children  cared  for  by  these  sweet 
and  gentle  sisters  of  our  Lord. 

The  olive  trees  planted  by  the  padres  still  bear  plenti- 
fully, and  each  February  a large  crop  of  rich,  juicy  olives 
is  gathered  to  be  pressed  for  their  oil,  or  put  in  large  vats 
and  pickled  for  table  use. 

The  Mission  vines  were  still  in  existence  until  1899, 
when,  becoming  diseased,  they  were  taken  up  and  not  re- 
newed, the  sisters  feeling  that  wine-making  was  an  industry 


230  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


better  suited  to  men  than  women,  though  for  many  years 
the  wine  made  at  San  Jose  had  been  used  only  for  sacra- 
mental purposes. 

Two  of  the  old  Mission  bells  are  hung  in  the  new  church. 
On  one  of  these  is  the  inscription : “ S.  S.  Jose.  Ano  de 
1826.”  And  on  the  upper  bell,  “ S.  S.  Joseph  1815,  Ave 
Marfa  Purfsima.” 

The  old  Mission  baptismal  font  is  also  still  in  use.  It 
is  of  hammered  copper,  about  three  feet  in  diameter,  sur- 
mounted by  an  iron  cross  about  eight  inches  high.  The 
font  stands  upon  a wooden  base,  painted,  and  is  about  four 
feet  high. 


SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA 


231 


CHAPTER  XX 


SAN  JUAN,  BAUTISTA 


THE  second  of  the  “ filling  up  the  links  of  the 
chain  ” Missions  was  that  of  San  Juan  Bautista. 
Three  days  after  the  commandant  of  San  Fran- 
cisco had  received  his  orders  to  furnish  a guard  for  the 
founders  of  Mission  San  Jose,  the  commandant  of  Monterey 
received  a like  order  for  a guard  for  the  founders  of  San 
Juan  Bautista.  This  consisted  of  five  men  and  Corporal 
Ballesteros.  By  June  17  this  industrious  officer  had  erected 
a church,  missionary-house,  granary,  and  guard-house,  and 
a week  later  Lasuen,  with  the  aid  of  two  priests,  duly 
founded  the  new  Mission.  The  site  was  a good  one,  and 
by  1800  crops  to  the  extent  of  2700  bushels  were  raised. 
At  the  same  time  516  neophytes  were  reported  — not  bad 
for  two  and  a half  years’  work. 

In  1798  the  gentiles  from  the  mountains  twenty-five 
miles  east  of  San  Juan,  the  Ansayames,  surrounded  the 
Mission  by  night,  but  were  prevailed  upon  to  retire.  Later 
some  of  the  neophytes  ran  away  and  joined  these  hostiles, 
and  then  a force  was  sent  to  capture  the  runaways  and 
administer  punishment.  In  the  ensuing  fight  a chief  was 
killed  and  another  wounded,  and  two  gentiles  brought  in 
to  be  forcibly  educated.  Other  rancherias  were  visited, 
fifty  fugitives  arrested,  and  a few  floggings  and  many 
warnings  given. 

This  did  not  prevent  the  Ansayames,  however,  from  kill- 
ing two  Mutsunes  at  San  Benito  Creek,  burning  a house 
and  some  wheat  fields,  and  seriously  threatening  the  Mis- 


282  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


sion.  Moraga  was  sent  against  them  and  captured  eigh- 
teen hostiles  and  the  chiefs  of  the  hostile  rancherias. 

Almost  as  bad  as  warlike  Indians  were  the  earthquakes 
of  that  year,  several  in  number,  which  cracked  all  the  adobe 
walls  of  the  buildings  and  compelled  everybody  — friars 
and  Indians  — to  sleep  out  of  doors  for  safety. 

In  1808  the  Governor  ordered  the  padres  of  San  Juan 
to  remove  their  stock  from  La  Brea  Rancho,  which  had  been 
granted  to  Mariano  Castro.  They  refused  on  the  grounds 
that  the  rancho  properly  belonged  to  the  Mission  and 
should  not  have  been  granted  to  Castro,  and  on  appeal 
the  Viceroy  confirmed  their  contention. 

In  June  of  this  year  the  corner-stone  of  a new  church 
was  laid.  Padre  Viader  conducted  the  ceremonies,  aided  by 
the  resident  priests.  Don  Jose  de  la  Guerra  was  the  spon- 
sor, and  Captain  Font  and  Surgeon  Morelos  assisted. 

In  June,  1809,  the  image  of  San  Juan  was  placed  on  the 
high  altar  in  the  sacristy  which  served  for  purposes  of  wor- 
ship until  the  completion  of  the  church. 

By  the  end  of  the  decade  the  population  had  grown  to 
702,  though  the  number  of  deaths  was  large,  and  it  con- 
tinued slowly  to  increase  until  in  1828  it  reached  its  greatest 
population  with  1218  souls. 

The  new  church  was  completed  and  dedicated  on  June 
28,  1812.  In  1818  a new  altar  was  completed,  and  a 
painter  named  Chavez  demanded  six  reals  a day  for  decor- 
ating it.  As  the  Mission  could  not  afford  this,  a Yankee, 
known  as  Felipe  Santiago  — properly  Thomas  Doak  — 
undertook  the  work,  aided  by  the  neophytes.  In  1815  one 
of  the  ministers  was  Esteban  Tapis,  who  afterwards  be- 
came the  presidente. 

In  1886  San  Juan  was  the  scene  of  the  preparations  for 
hostility  begun  by  Jose  Castro  and  Alvarado  against 
Governor  Gutierrez.  Meetings  were  held  at  which  excited 
speeches  were  made  advocating  revolutionary  methods,  and 
the  fife  and  drum  were  soon  heard  by  the  peaceful  inhabi- 


Plate  XXXIV 


FACHADA  OF  SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA  MISSION  • ^ RUINS  OF  SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO  MISSION 


SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA 


* 

tants  of  the  old  Mission.  Many  of  the  whites  joined  in 
with  Alvarado  and  Castro,  and  the  affair  ultimated  in 
the  forced  exile  of  the  Governor,  and  Castro  taking  his  place 
until  Alvarado  was  elected  by  the  diputacion. 

The  regular  statistics  of  San  Juan  cease  in  1832,  when 
there  were  916  Indians  registered.  In  1835,  according  to 
the  decree  of  secularization,  63  Indians  were  “ emanci- 
pated.” Possibly  these  were  the  heads  of  families.  Among 
these  were  to  be  distributed  land  valued  at  $5120,  live- 
stock, including  41  horses,  $1782,  implements,  effects,  etc., 
$1467. 

An  inventory  of  1835  gives  the  following:  Buildings, 
$36,000 ; implements,  goods,  and  furniture,  $7774  ; church 
property  (church,  fully  described,  $36,000;  ornaments, 
etc.  $7740,  library,  $461,  bells,  $1060,  choir  furniture, 
$1643),  $45,904;  vineyards,  lands,  and  buildings  out- 
side the  Mission,  $37,365 ; ranchos,  probably  including 
live-stock,  $19,107;  credits,  $1040;  cash,  $222;  total, 
$147,413;  deducting  amount  distributed  to  Indians,  $8439, 
and  debt  $250,  balance,  $138,723. 

Alvarado  says  that  secularization  was  a success  here 
and  at  San  Antonio,  though  nowhere  else,  the  Indians 
being  free  and  making  tolerably  good  use  of  their  freedom. 
After  1836  all  traces  of  the  community  disappeared.  The 
Indians  were  uncontrolled  except  by  the  regular  laws  of 
the  province.  A number  of  whites  settled  in  the  region, 
and  the  name  of  the  new  pueblo  was  San  Juan  de  Castro. 
The  outside  gentile  Indians  caused  a great  deal  of  trouble 
for  a number  of  years,  but  were  ultimately  wiped  out  of 
existence. 

The  summary  of  statistics  from  the  founding  of  the 
Mission  in  1797  to  1834  shows  4100  baptisms,  1028  mar- 
riages, 3027  deaths.  The  largest  number  of  cattle  owned 
was  11,000  in  1820,  1598  horses  in  1806,  13,000  sheep  in 
1816. 

In  1845,  when  Pico’s  decree  was  issued,  San  Juan  was 


234  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


considered  a pueblo,  and  orders  given  for  the  sale  of  all 
property  except  a curate’s  house,  the  church,  and  a court- 
house. The  inventory  gave  a value  of  $8000.  The  popu- 
lation was  now  about  150,  half  of  whom  were  whites  and 
the  other  half  Indians. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  it  was  at  San  Juan  that 
Castro  organized  his  forces  to  repel  what  he  considered 
the  invasion  of  Fremont  in  1846.  From  Gavilan  heights 
near  by,  the  explorer  looked  down  and  saw  the  warlike 
preparations  directed  against  him,  and  from  there  wrote 
his  declaration : “ I am  making  myself  as  strong  as  pos- 
sible, in  the  intention  that  if  we  are  unjustly  attacked  we 
will  fight  to  extremity  and  refuse  quarter,  trusting  to  our 
country  to  avenge  our  death.” 

When  Sloat  made  his  memorable  landing  at  Monterey, 
and  California  officially  became  a part  of  the  United 
States,  General  Castro  was  at  San  Juan,  and  from  there 
communicated  with  the  conquerors ; and  it  was  rather  hu- 
miliating to  the  California  commander-in-chief  that  when 
the  Stars  and  Stripes  were  eventually  raised  over  the  ex- 
Mission  of  San  Juan  it  was  done  by  Fremont  and  his 
forces. 

Later,  when  Flores  revolted  in  the  South,  Fremont  or- 
ganized his  noted  volunteer  battalion  at  San  Juan.  Those 
were  exciting  times  for  the  little  town,  for  there  were  475 
mounted  riflemen  and  41  artillerymen,  organized  into 
ten  companies.  The  force  duly  marched  from  here  on  the 
29th  of  November,  passing  San  Miguel  to  San  Luis  Obispo 
and  thence  over  the  Santa  Ines  range  to  Santa  Barbara, 
finally  to  Cahuenga  where  the  formal  capitulation  of  the 
hostile  forces  took  place. 

In  1846  Pico  sold  all  that  remained  of  San  Juan  Bau- 
tista — the  orchard  — to  O.  Deleisseques  for  a debt,  and 
though  he  did  not  obtain  possession  at  the  time,  the  United 
States  courts  finally  confirmed  his  claim.  This  was  the  last 
act  in  the  history  of  the  once  prosperous  Mission. 


SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA 


235 


Now  the  town  is  utterly  deserted.  When  the  Southern 
Pacific  railway  was  built  San  Juan  was  left  out  on  one  side. 
Nothing  to-day  suggests  the  activity  and  excitement  of 
the  Mission  and  revolutionary  days.  Grass  grows  in  the 
streets  and  sleepiness  and  laziness  reign  supreme. 

As  one  steps  into  the  plaza  at  San  Juan  Bautista  he 
observes  that  one  whole  side  is  occupied  by  the  arched 
corridors  of  the  monastery.  The  church  is  in  the  corner 
to  the  right,  separated  from  the  corridors  by  an  ugly 
modern  wooden  building,  surmounted  by  the  bell-tower  which 
was  erected  by  Father  Rubio  in  1874.  The  fachada  is 
plain,  simple,  and  unpretentious.  It  is  merely  the  end  of  the 
church  building,  divided  by  a cornice  moulding  into  two 
sections,  the  upper  and  lower.  In  the  upper  the  only 
features  are  a deeply  embrasured  square  window,  above 
which  is  another  simple  cornice,  which,  however,  is  only  a 
little  wider  than  the  window.  In  the  lower  section  there  are 
three  arches,  the  centre  being  the  main  entrance  and  much 
larger  than  the  other  two.  It  faces  almost  due  east.  The 
appearance  of  the  fachada  is  not  improved  by  the  four 
cypress  trees  which  have  been  trimmed  to  the  shape  of 
four  elongated  barrels. 

Where  the  plaster  has  fallen  from  the  walls  it  reveals 
that  the  bricks  are  of  adobe,  though  on  the  side  a repaired 
place  shows  the  use  of  large,  flat,  burned  bricks  as  well  as 
adobe.  The  padres  were  brick-makers  in  the  modern  sense 
of  the  word.  Not  only  did  they  know  how  to  make  adobe, 
or  sun-dried  bricks,  but  the  roof  and  floor  tiles  and  the 
bricks  used  in  their  buildings  are  all  properly  burnt,  show- 
ing a thorough  knowledge  of  the  art. 

The  monastery  is  of  adobe,  and  the  corridor  floor  is 
brick-tiled.  It  is  about  270  feet  long,  and  50  feet  wide 
(paced  measurements).  The  corridor  from  the  outside  of 
arch  to  the  monastery  wall  is  about  twelve  feet.  The  end 
facing  the  street  is  built  up  with  wood,  and  on  it  is  a sign 
which  says : “ Esta  Mision  fue  cornenzada  dia  24  Junio, 


236  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


1797.”  The  arches  are  evidently  of  flat  burned  brick, 
and  are  not  of  uniform  size,  a peculiarity  I have  elsewhere 
called  attention  to. 

The  entrance  at  San  Juan  Bautista  seems  more  like 
that  of  a prison  than  a church.  The  Rev.  Valentin  Closa, 
of  the  Company  of  Jesus,  who  for  many  years  had  charge 
here,  found  that  some  visitors  were  so  irresponsible  that 
thefts  were  of  almost  daily  occurrence.  So  he  had  a 
wooden  barrier  placed  across  the  church  from  wall  to  wall, 
and  floor  to  ceiling,  through  which  a gate  affords  entrance, 
and  this  gate  is  kept  padlocked  with  as  constant  watchful- 
ness as  is  that  of  a prison.  Passing  this  barrier  the  two 
objects  that  immediately  catch  one’s  eye  are  the  semicir- 
cular arch  dividing  the  church  from  the  altar  and  the  old 
wooden  pulpit  on  the  left. 

The  interior  is  different  from  most  of  the  Missions  in 
that  the  only  windows  are  four  square  apertures  on  each 
side,  almost  at  the  top  of  the  walls,  just  below  which  a 
cornice  runs  the  whole  length  of  the  building.  Around  the 
church,  about  three  feet  from  the  floor,  there  is  a kind  of 
narrow  seat  let  into  the  walls.  These  walls  are  divided 
into  arches  — seven  on  each  side  — evidencing  the  thought 
in  the  minds  of  the  original  builders.  It  was  their  expec- 
tation that  the  church  would  have  to  be  enlarged  into  a 
three-aisled  structure  as  soon  as  the  enlarged  attendance 
of  the  Indians  demanded  the  extra  space.  The  founder 
of  San  Juan  had  great  visions  and  hopes  for  the  future. 
The  country  was  thickly  populated  with  Indians,  and  the 
success  of  the  Mission  is  shown  in  the  large  number  of 
baptisms  in  so  short  a time.  Doubtless  had  the  original 
plans  been  carried  out  San  Juan  would  have  developed 
architecturally  and  have  become  a much  more  imposing 
building  than  it  is. 

Of  the  modern  bell-tower  it  can  only  be  said  that  it  is 
a pity  necessity  seemed  to  compel  the  erection  of  such  an 
abortion.  The  old  padres  seldom,  if  ever,  failed  in  their 


SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA 


237 


architectural  plans.  However  one  may  criticise  their  lesser 
work,  such  as  the  decorations,  he  is  compelled  to  admire 
their  large  work;  they  were  right,  powerful,  and  dignified 
in  their  straightforward  simplicity.  And  it  is  pathetic 
that  in  later  days,  when  workmen  and  money  were  scarce, 
the  modern  priests  did  not  see  some  way  of  overcoming 
obstacles  that  would  have  been  more  harmonious  with  the 
old  plans  than  is  evidenced  in  this  tower  and  many  other 
similar  incongruities,  such  as  the  steel  bell-tower  at  San 
Miguel. 

To  return  to  the  interior.  The  sixth  and  seventh  arches 
on  the  left  open  into  a side  chapel,  in  which  is  an  altar  to 
the  virgin,  and  the  confessional.  The  walls  throughout  are 
whitewashed,  yet  here  and  there  a small  patch  of  the 
original  mural  decorations  may  be  seen,  in  brownish-red, 
green  and  light  green,  as  on  the  further  side  of  the  seventh 
arch.  There  is  a corresponding  chapel  in  the  sixth  and 
seventh  arches  on  the  opposite  side.  In  some  places  the 
plaster  has  fallen,  revealing  that  the  construction  is  of 
large  flat  bricks. 

Inside  the  altar  is  a tombstone  over  the  grave  of  Padre 
Esteban  Tapis.  The  inscription  is  in  Latin  and  records 
briefly  his  life-work.  He  was  in  America  forty  years,  and 
in  California  thirty-five.  He  died  the  3d  of  November, 
1825. 

From  the  side  chapel  a door  leads  into  a small  hall, 
lighted  only  by  a triangle-shaped  aperture  in  the  wall. 
An  adobe  stairway  leads  from  this  hall  into  the  old  pulpit, 
which  is  octagonal,  fastened  to  the  wall,  and  rests  on  three 
four-inch  joists  scrolled  at  the  end.  It  is  of  rude  panelling 
in  wood,  recently  painted  a creamy  pink. 

At  San  Juan  Bautista  the  old  reredos  remains,  though 
the  altar  is  new.  The  six  figures  of  the  saints  are  the 
original  ones  placed  there  when  it  was  first  erected.  In 
the  centre,  at  the  top,  is  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe;  to  the 
left,  San  Antonio  de  Padua ; to  the  right,  San  Isadore  de 


238  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Madrid  (the  patron  saint  of  all  farmers)  ; below,  in  the 
centre,  is  the  saint  of  the  Mission,  San  Juan  Bautista, 
on  his  left,  St.  Francis,  and  on  his  right,  San  Buena- 
ventura. 

The  baptistery  is  on  the  left,  at  the  entrance.  Over  its 
old  solid,  heavy  doors  rises  a half -circular  arch.  Inside  are 
two  bowls  of  heavy  sandstone. 

In  the  belfry  are  two  bells,  one  of  which  is  modern, 
cast  in  San  Francisco.  The  other  is  the  largest  Mission 
bell.  I believe,  in  California.  It  bears  the  inscription : 46  Ave 
Maria  Purfsima  S.  Fernando  RVELAS  me  Fecit  1809.” 

There  is  a small  collection  of  objects  of  interest  con- 
nected with  the  old  Mission  preserved  in  one  room  of  the 
monastery.  Among  other  things  are  two  of  the  chorals ; 
pieces  of  rawhide  used  for  tying  the  beams,  etc.,  in  the 
original  construction ; the  head  of  a bass-viol  that  used 
to  be  played  by  one  of  the  Indians ; a small  mortar ; and 
quite  a number  of  books.  Perhaps  the  strangest  thing  in 
the  whole  collection  is  an  old  barrel-organ  made  by  Ben- 
jamin Dobson,  The  Minories,  London.  It  has  several 
barrels  and  on  one  of  them  is  the  following  list  of  its  tunes: 
Go  to  the  Devil ; Spanish  Waltz ; College  Hornpipe ; Lady 
Campbell’s  Reel.  One  can  imagine  with  what  feelings  one 
of  the  sainted  padres,  after  a peculiarly  trying  day  with 
his  aboriginal  children,  would  put  in  this  barrel,  and  while 
his  lips  said  holy  things,  his  hand  instinctively  grind  out 
with  vigor  the  first  piece  on  the  list. 


SAN  MIGUEL  ARCANGEL 


239 


CHAPTER  XXI 


SAN  MIGUEL,  ARCANGEL 

IASUEN’S  third  Mission,  of  1797,  was  San  Miguel, 
located  near  a large  rancheria  named  Sagshpileel, 
and  on  the  site  called  Vahid.  One  reason  for  the 
selection  of  the  location  is  given  in  the  fact  that  there  was 
plenty  of  water  at  Santa  Isabel  and  San  Marcos  for  the 
irrigation  of  three  hundred  fanegas  of  seed.  To  this  day 
the  springs  of  Santa  Isabel  are  a joy  and  delight  to  all 
who  know  them,  and  the  remains  of  the  old  irrigating 
canals  and  dams,  dug  and  built  by  the  padres,  are  still  to 
be  seen. 

On  the  day  of  the  founding  Lasuen’s  heart  was  made 
glad  by  the  presentation  of  fifteen  children  for  baptism. 
At  the  end  of  1800  there  were  362  neophytes,  372  horses 
and  cattle  and  1582  smaller  animals.  The  crop  of  1800 
was  1900  bushels. 

Padre  Antonio  de  la  Concepcion  Horra,  who  was  shortly 
after  deported  as  insane,  and  who  gave  Presidente  Lasuen 
considerable  trouble  by  preferring  serious  charges  against 
the  Missions,  was  one  of  the  first  ministers. 

In  February  of  1801  the  two  padres  were  attacked  with 
violent  pains  in  the  stomach  and  they  feared  the  neophytes 
had  poisoned  them,  but  they  soon  recovered.  Padre  Pujol, 
who  came  from  Monterey  to  aid  them,  did  not  fare  so  well, 
for  he  was  taken  sick  in  a similar  manner  and  died.  Three 
Indians  were  arrested,  but  it  was  never  decided  whether 
poison  had  been  used  or  not.  The  Indians  escaped  when 
being  taken  north  to  the  presidio,  and  eventually  the  padres 
pleaded  for  their  release,  asking  however  that  they  be 


240  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


flogged  in  the  presence  of  their  families  for  having  boasted 
that  they  had  poisoned  the  padres. 

In  January,  1804,  Padre  Martin  went  with  a soldier  to 
Guchapa,  chief  of  the  Cholan  rancherfa,  fourteen  leagues 
away,  to  ask  for  some  of  his  young  men  to  make  Christians 
of  them.  Guchapa  refused,  and  in  repulsing  the  friar 
and  scorning  his  threats  he  said  he  was  not  afraid  of  the 
soldiers,  for  they  died  the  same  as  other  men.  In  order 
to  modify  the  chief’s  ideas,  thirteen  soldiers  were  despatched 
to  capture  him;  which  they  did,  though  he  made  a brave 
resistance.  On  his  arrival  at  the  Mission  he  was  concili- 
ated with  presents,  and  persuaded  into  meeting  the  padre’s 
ideas,  finally  departing  leaving  his  son  as  a hostage  for 
the  fulfilment  of  his  promises. 

In  August,  1806,  a disastrous  fire  occurred,  destroying 
all  the  manufacturing  part  of  the  establishment  as  well  as 
a large  quantity  of  wool,  hides,  cloth,  and  6000  bushels  of 
wheat.  The  roof  of  the  church  was  also  partially  burned. 
At  the  end  of  the  decade  San  Miguel  had  a population  of 
973,  and  in  the  number  of  its  sheep  it  was  excelled  only 
by  San  Juan  Capistrano. 

In  October,  1814,  an  expedition  under  Padre  Juan 
Cabot  left  San  Miguel  for  the  exploration  of  the  Tulare 
region.  They  must  have  travelled  rapidly,  for  the  next 
day  they  camped  on  the  edge  of  a large  lake  where  was  a 
rancherfa  of  seven  hundred  souls.  Cabot  baptized  twenty- 
six  of  the  old  and  sick  and  then  pushed  on  to  another 
rancherfa  — Sumtache  — which  was  at  enmity  with  the 
first.  Misunderstanding  the  purport  of  the  visit,  the  Sum- 
taches  fought  the  Spaniards,  killed  two  horses,  and  only 
ceased  hostilities  when  one  of  their  women  was  killed.  Fi- 
nally the  region  of  King’s  River  was  reached,  and,  though 
trees  were  scarce,  it  was  deemed  that  somewhere  in  this 
region  a successful  Mission  could  be  established.  In  send- 
ing the  report  to  Lasuen,  Padre  Martin  urged  the  estab- 
lishment of  such  a Mission,  claiming  that  if  it  were  not  done 


Plate  XXXV 


INTERIOR  OF  SAN  MIGUEL  MISSION  FROM  THE  CHOIR  GALLERY 


SAN  MIGUEL  ARCANGEL 


241 


" Satan,  war,  and  venereal  disease  would  leave  nobody  to 
be  converted.” 

In  1818  a new  church  was  reported  as  ready  for  roofing, 
and  this  was  possibly  built  to  replace  the  one  partially 
destroyed  by  fire  in  1806.  In  1814  the  Mission  registered 
its  largest  population  in  1096  neophytes,  and  in  live 
stock  it  showed  satisfactory  increase  at  the  end  of  the 
decade,  though  in  agriculture  it  had  not  been  so  successful. 

Ten  years  later  it  had  to  report  a great  diminution  in 
its  flocks  and  herds  and  its  neophytes.  The  soil  and  pas- 
ture were  also  found  to  be  poor,  though  vines  flourished 
and  timber  was  plentiful.  Robinson,  who  visited  San 
Miguel,  at  this  time,  reports  it  as  a poor  establishment  and 
tells  a large  story  about  the  heat  suffocating  the  fleas. 
Padre  Martin  died  in  1824. 

In  1834  there  were  but  599  neophytes  on  the  register. 
In  1836  Ignacio  Coronel  took  charge  in  order  to  carry 
out  the  order  of  secularization,  and  when  the  inventory  was 
made  it  showed  the  existence  of  property,  excluding  every- 
thing pertaining  to  the  church,  of  $82,000.  In  1839  this 
amount  was  reduced  to  $75,000.  This  large  valuation 
was  owing  to  the  fact  that  there  were  several  ranches  and 
buildings  and  two  large  vineyards  belonging  to  the  Mis- 
sion. These  latter  were  Santa  Isabel  and  Aguage  with 
5500  vines,  valued  at  $22,162. 

The  general  statistics  from  the  founding  in  1797  to 
1834  give  2588  baptisms,  2038  deaths ; largest  population 
was  1076  in  1814.  The  largest  number  of  cattle  was 
10,558  in  1822,  horses  1560  in  1822,  mules  140  in  1817, 
sheep  14,000  in  1820. 

In  1836  Padre  Moreno  reported  that  when  Coronel 
came  all  the  available  property  was  distributed  among 
the  Indians,  except  the  grain,  and  of  that  they  carried 
off  more  than  half.  In  1838  the  poor  padre  complained 
bitterly  of  his  poverty  and  the  disappearance  of  the 
Mission  property.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  here  as 

16 


242  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


elsewhere  the  Mission  was  plundered  on  every  hand,  and 
the  officers  appointed  to  guard  its  interests  were  among  the 
plunderers. 

In  1844  Presidente  Duran  reported  that  San  Miguel 
had  neither  lands  nor  cattle,  and  that  its  neophytes  were 
demoralized  and  scattered  for  want  of  a minister.  Pico’s 
1845  decree  warned  the  Indians  that  they  must  return 
within  a month  and  occupy  their  lands,  or  they  would  be 
disposed  of ; and  in  1846  Pico  reported  the  Mission  sold, 
though  no  consideration  is  named,  to  P.  Rios  and  Wm. 
Reed.  The  purchasers  took  possession,  but  the  courts 
later  declared  their  title  invalid.  In  1848  Reed  and  his 
whole  family  were  atrociously  murdered.  The  murderers 
were  pursued;  one  was  fatally  wounded,  one  jumped  into 
the  sea  and  was  drowned,  and  the  other  three  were  caught 
and  executed. 

To-day  San  Miguel  is  desolate  and  forlorn.  The  present 
pastor  is  old  and  infirm,  and  would  find  life  hard  were  it 
not  for  the  kindness  of  a few  of  his  people. 

The  register  of  baptisms  at  San  Miguel  begins  July 
25,  1797,  and  up  to  1861  contains  2917  names.  Between 
the  years  1844  and  1851  there  is  a vacancy,  and  only  one 
name  occurs  in  the  latter  year.  The  title-page  is  signed  by 
Fr.  Fermin  Franco  de  Lasuen,  and  the  priests  in  charge 
are  named  as  Fr.  Buenaventura  Sit  jar  and  Fr.  Antonio 
de  la  Concepcion. 

At  the  end  of  this  book  is  a list  of  43  children  of  the 
“ gentes  de  razon  ” included  in  the  general  list,  but  here 
specialized  for  reference. 

The  register  of  deaths  contains  2249  names  up  to  1841. 
The  first  entry  is  signed  by  Fr.  Juan  Martin  and  the 
next  two  by  Fr.  Sit  jar. 

The  old  marriage  register  of  the  Mission  of  San  Miguel 
is  now  at  San  Luis  Obispo.  It  has  a title-page  signed 
by  Fr.  Lasuen. 

In  1888  some  of  the  old  bells  of  the  Mission  were  sent 


SAN  MIGUEL  ARCANGEL 


243 

to  San  Francisco  and  there  were  recast  into  one  large  bell, 
weighing  2500  lbs.  Until  1902  this  stood  on  a rude 
wooden  tower  in  front  of  the  church,  but  in  that  year  an 
incongruous  steel  tower  took  its  place.  Packed  away  in  a 
box  still  remains  one  of  the  old  bells,  which  has  sounded  its 
last  call.  A large  hole  is  in  one  side  of  it.  The  inscription, 
as  near  as  I can  make  out,  reads  66  A.  D.  1800,  S.  S. 
Gabriel.” 

In  1901  the  outside  of  the  church  and  monastery  was 
restored  with  a coat  of  new  plaster  and  cement.  Inside 
nearly  everything  is  as  it  was  left  by  the  robber  hand  of 
secularization,  as  is  fully  shown  in  the  chapter  on  interior 
decorations. 

On  the  walls  are  the  ten  oil  paintings  brought  by  the 
original  founders.  They  are  very  indistinct  in  the  dim 
light  of  the  church,  and  little  can  be  said  of  their  artistic 
value  without  further  examination. 

There  is  also  an  old  breviary  with  two  heavy  hand  made 
clasps,  dated  Antwerp,  1735,  and  containing  the  autograph 
of  Fr.  Man.  de  Castaneda. 

The  arches  at  San  Miguel  are  not  all  alike;  indeed, 
careful  observation  shows  that  they  are  very  irregular. 
Nearest  to  the  church  a wooden  post  is  now  doing  service, 
then  come  two  square  pillars  before  the  arches  begin.  The 
first  arch  is  a small  semicircular  one,  followed  by  four 
larger  ones,  and  then  two  larger  elliptical  ones.  These 
two  form  a centre,  for  on  the  other  side  are  four  large 
and  one  small  semicircular  arch  as  before. 

Slightly  to  the  right  of  the  elliptical  arch  nearest  the 
church  is  a chimney,  which  rises  a little  above  the  comb 
of  the  red-tiled  roof.  It  is  surmounted  by  six  tiles,  three 
on  one  side,  sloping  towards  the  three  on  the  other  side, 
these  in  turn  capped  with  one  tile  laid  flat  over  the  ends  of 
all  six.  It  adds  a picturesque  though  simple  feature  to 
the  roof  of  the  monastery. 

There  is  a quadrangle  at  San  Miguel  230  feet  square, 


2U  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


and  on  one  side  of  it  a corridor  corresponding  to  the  one 
in  front,  for  six  pillars  of  burnt  brick  still  remain. 

At  the  rear  of  the  church  was  the  original  church,  used 
before  the  present  one  was  built,  and  a number  of  remains 
of  the  old  houses  of  the  neophytes  still  stand,  though  in  a 
very  dilapidated  condition. 

San  Miguel  was  always  noted  for  its  proximity  to  the 
Hot  Springs  and  Sulphur  Mud  Baths  of  Paso  Robles. 
Both  Indians  and  Mission  padres  knew  of  their  healthful 
and  curative  properties,  and  in  the  early  days  scores  of 
thousands  enjoyed  their  peculiar  virtues.  Little  by  little 
the  “ superior  race 99  is  learning  that  in  natural  thera- 
peutics the  Indian  is  a reasonably  safe  guide  to  follow; 
hence  the  present  extensive  use  by  the  whites  of  the  Mud 
and  Sulphur  Baths  at  Paso  Robles.  Methinks  the  Indians 
of  a century  ago,  though  doubtless  astonished  at  the  won- 
derful temple  to  the  white  man’s  God  built  at  San  Miguel, 
would  wonder  much  more  were  they  now  to  see  the  elaborate 
and  splendid  house  being  erected  at  Paso  Robles  for  the 
purpose  of  giving  to  more  white  people  the  baths,  the 
virtue  of  which  they  so  well  knew. 


SAN  FERNANDO,  REY  DE  ESPAGNA  245 


CHAPTER  XXII 

SAN  FERNANDO,  REY  DE  ESPAGNA 

ON  September  8,  1797,  the  seventeenth  of  the  Cali- 
fornia Missions  was  founded  by  Padre  Lasuen,  in 
the  Encino  Valley  where  Francisco  Reyes  had  a 
rancho  in  the  Los  Angeles  jurisdiction.  The  natives  called 
it  Achois  Comihavit.  Reyes’  house  was  appropriated  as 
a temporary  dwelling  for  the  missionary.  The  Mission  was 
dedicated  to  Fernando  III,  King  of  Spain.  Lasuen  came 
down  from  San  Miguel  to  Santa  Barbara,  especially  for  the 
foundation,  and  from  thence  with  Sergeant  Oliver  a and  a 
military  escort.  These,  with  Padre  Francisco  Dumetz,  the 
priest  chosen  to  have  charge,  and  his  assistant,  Francisco 
Favier  Uria,  composed,  with  the  large  concourse  of  Indians, 
the  witnesses  of  the  solemn  ceremonial. 

On  the  4th  of  October  Olivera  reported  the  guard-house 
and  storehouse  finished,  two  houses  begun,  and  prepara- 
tions already  being  made  for  the  church. 

From  the  baptismal  register  it  is  seen  that  ten  children 
were  baptized  the  first  day,  and  thirteen  adults  were 
received  early  in  October.  By  the  end  of  1797  there  were 
fifty-five  neophytes. 

Three  years  after  its  founding  310  Indians  were 
gathered  in,  and  its  year’s  crop  was  1000  bushels  of  grain. 
The  Missions  of  San  Juan  Capistrano,  San  Gabriel,  San 
Buenaventura,  and  Santa  Barbara  had  contributed  live- 
stock, and  now  its  herds  had  grown  to  526  horses,  mules, 
and  cattle,  and  600  sheep. 

In  December,  1806,  an  adobe  church,  with  a tile  roof, 
was  consecrated,  which  on  the  21st  of  December,  1812, 


246  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


was  severely  injured  by  the  earthquake  that  did  damage  to 
almost  all  the  Missions  of  the  chain.  Thirty  new  beams 
were  needed  to  support  the  injured  walls.  A new  chapel 
was  built,  which  was  completed  in  1818. 

By  the  end  of  1810  neophytes  had  increased  to  955,  and 
the  healthfulness  of  the  location  was  proven  by  the  fact 
that  baptisms  were  twice  as  numerous  as  deaths. 

San  Fernando  from  the  start  seemed  to  be  cramped  for 
want  of  lands.  In  1804  there  was  a strong  protest  made 
against  granting  the  Camulos  Rancho,  and  in  1816  Pico 
ordered  the  sheep  away  from  his  land  at  the  Simi  Rancho, 
as  did  also  the  proprietors  of  Refugio  in  1817.  Padre 
Ibarra,  in  1821,  had  a hot  correspondence  with  the  Santa 
Barbara  military  authorities  in  reference  to  a proposed 
grant  of  the  Piru  Rancho,  on  which  he  was  pasturing  the 
Mission  herds.  The  protest  kept  it  from  Guerra,  the  pro- 
posed grantee,  but  did  not  save  it  to  San  Fernando,  a fact 
which  caused  considerable  irritation  on  both  sides.  The 
padre  began  to  complain  of  the  Santa  Barbara  presidio, 
of  which  De  la  Guerra  was  captain,  declaring  that  his 
soldiers  sold  liquor,  lent  horses  to,  and  generally  demoral- 
ized his  neophytes,  even  sheltering  them  when  they  ran 
away. 

Already  the  Mission  property  had  begun  to  decline, 
though  from  1822  to  1827  the  records  show  that  the  Santa 
Barbara  presidio  received  supplies  to  the  amount  of 
$21,203.  In  1826  Governor  Echeandia  declared  San  Fer- 
nando to  be  in  the  jurisdiction  of  Los  Angeles  instead  of 
Santa  Barbara. 

In  1837  the  Mission  funds  to  the  amount  of  $2000  were 
taken  by  the  Los  Angeles  authorities  into  safe  keeping,  as 
Governor  Alvarado  was  marching  south  to  punish  the 
southern  people  who  had  risen  in  rebellion  against  what 
they  termed  his  unjust  rule.  At  San  Fernando,  on  Janu- 
ary 16,  a force  of  about  270  men  under  Rocha  were  massed 
to  arrest  Alvarado’s  march  upon  Los  Angeles,  and  Alcalde 


Plate  XXXVI 


b.  RESTORED  MONASTERY  AND  MISSION  CHURCH  OF  SAN  FERNANDO 


SAN  FERNANDO,  REY  DE  ESPAGNA  247 


Sepulveda  issued  an  address  calling  upon  the  citizens  to 
defend  the  honor  of  their  beloved  country  against  the  Mon- 
terey usurper.  After  some  fruitless  negotiations  Alvarado 
sent  an  ultimatum  to  Sepulveda,  that  if  San  Fernando  was 
not  given  up  on  the  messenger’s  return  he  would  take  it  by 
force.  Though  his  force  was  much  smaller,  the  order  was 
obeyed  at  once.  Rocha  retired  with  his  men  to  Los  Angeles, 
and  Alvarado  occupied  the  Mission.  Soon  afterwards 
Alvarado  entered  Los  Angeles,  a council  of  the  opposing 
forces  was  held,  a compact  made,  and  peace  restored. 

In  1834  Lieutenant  Antonio  del  Yalle  was  the  comision- 
ado  appointed  to  secularize  the  Mission,  and  the  next  year 
he  became  majordomo  and  served  until  1837.  The  in- 
ventory of  1837  gives  credits,  $14,293  ; buildings,  $56,785  ; 
house  utensils,  $601 ; goods  in  storehouse,  $5214  ; liquors, 
etc.,  $7175;  live-stock,  $53,854;  San  Francisco  Rancho, 
$1925 ; grain,  $618 ; tannery,  $544 ; carpenter  shop, 
$127;  blacksmith  shop,  $789;  soap  works,  $512;  mills, 
$200;  tools,  $368;  tallow  works,  $2540;  church,  $1500; 
ornaments,  etc.,  $4348  ; library  of  fifty  works.  The  debts 
were  $1689.  When  Visitador  Hartwell  came  in  1839  he 
found  everything  in  excellent  condition,  with  large  herds 
for  distribution  among  the  Indians;  but  the  next  year 
things  were  far  less  satisfactory. 

It  was  on  his  journey  north,  in  1842,  to  take  hold  of  the 
governorship,  that  Micheltorena  learned  at  San  Fernando 
of  Commodore  Jones’s  raising  of  the  American  flag  at 
Monterey.  By  his  decree,  also,  in  1843,  San  Fernando 
was  ordered  returned  to  the  control  of  the  padres,  which 
was  done,  though  the  next  year  Duran  reported  that  there 
were  but  few  cattle  left,  and  two  vineyards. 

Micheltorena  was  destined  again  to  appear  at  San  Fer- 
nando, for  when  the  Californians  under  Pio  Pico  and 
Castro  rose  to  drive  out  the  Mexicans,  the  Governor  finally 
capitulated  at  the  same  place  he  had  heard  the  bad  news 
of  the  Americans’  capture  of  Monterey.  February  21, 


248  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


1845,  after  a bloodless  46  battle  ” at  Cahuenga,  he  44  abdi- 
cated,” and  finally  left  the  country  and  returned  to  Mexico. 

In  1845  Juan  Manso  and  Andres  Pico  leased  the  Mission 
at  a rental  of  $1120,  the  affairs  having  been  fairly  well 
administered  by  Padre  Orday  after  its  return  to  the  con- 
trol of  the  friars.  A year  later  it  was  sold  by  Pio  Pico, 
under  the  order  of  the  assembly,  for  $14,000,  to  Eulogio 
Celis,  whose  title  was  afterwards  confirmed  by  the  courts. 
Orday  remained  as  pastor  until  May,  1847?  and  was  San 
Fernando’s  last  minister. 

In  1847  San  Fernando  again  heard  the  alarm  of  war. 
Fremont  and  his  battalion  reached  here  in  January,  and 
remained  until  the  signing  of  the  treaty  of  Cahuenga, 
which  closed  all  serious  hostilities  against  the  United  States 
in  its  conquest  of  California. 

Connected  with  the  Mission  of  San  Fernando  is  the  first 
discovery  of  California  gold.  Eight  years  before  the  great 
days  of  ’49  Francisco  Lopez,  the  mayor domo  of  the  Mis- 
sion, was  in  the  canyon  of  San  Feliciano,  which  is  about 
eight  miles  westerly  from  the  present  town  of  Newhall, 
and,  according  to  Don  Abel  Stearns,  44  with  a companion 
while  in  search  of  some  stray  horses,  about  midday  stopped 
under  some  trees  and  tied  their  horses  to  feed.  While  rest- 
ing in  the  shade,  Lopez  with  his  sheath  knife  dug  up  some 
wild  onions,  and  in  the  dirt  discovered  a piece  of  gold. 
Searching  further  he  found  more.  On  his  return  to  town 
he  showed  these  pieces  to  his  friends,  who  at  once  declared 
there  must  be  a placer  of  gold  there.” 

Then  the  rush  began.  As  soon  as  the  people  in  Los 
Angeles  and  Santa  Barbara  heard  of  it  they  flocked  to  the 
new  44  gold  fields  ” in  hundreds.  And  the  first  California 
gold  dust  ever  coined  at  the  government  mint  at  Phila- 
delphia came  from  these  mines.  It  was  taken  around  Cape 
Horn  in  a sailing  vessel  by  Alfred  Robinson,  the  translator 
of  Boscana’s  44  Indians  of  California,”  and  consisted  of 
18.34  ounces,  and  made  $344.75,  or  over  $19  to  the  ounce. 


SAN  FERNANDO,  REY  DE  ESPAGNA  249 


Davis  says  that  in  the  first  two  years  after  the  discovery 
not  less  than  from  $80,000  to  $100,000  was  gathered. 
Don  Antonio  Coronel,  with  three  Indian  laborers,  in  1842, 
took  out  $600  worth  of  dust  in  two  months. 

Water  being  scarce  the  methods  of  washing  the  gravel 
were  both  crude  and  wasteful.  And  it  is  interesting  to 
note  that  the  first  gold  46  pans  ” were  bateas  or  bowl-shaped 
Indian  baskets. 

In  March,  1902,  a San  Fernando  Mission  Indian  died, 
and  was  buried  on  the  22d  by  the  side  of  his  wife  in  the  old 
cemetery  back  of  the  church.  Rojerio  Rocha  by  name,  he 
was  said  to  be  one  hundred  and  twelve  years  old  at  the  time 
of  his  death.  He  was  one  of  the  noted  blacksmiths  and 
silversmiths  of  the  Mission,  in  the  days  when  it  was  famed 
for  its  excellent  iron  work.  When  the  division  of  lands  took 
place  he  was  given  about  twelve  acres,  three  miles  east  of 
the  Mission;  but  later  he  was  evicted,  and  thereafter  felt 
nothing  but  scorn,  contempt,  and  hatred  for  the  Americans 
who  dispossessed  him.  It  was  a cold,  rainy  night  when  he 
was  carted  away  from  his  home,  and  his  wife  died  from  the 
exposure.  He  was  quite  familiar  with  the  excitement  at 
the  time  of  the  discovery  of  gold,  and  was  one  of  the  few 
neophytes  who  were  allowed  to  visit  the  spot. 

The  church  at  San  Fernando  is  in  a completely  ruined 
condition.  It  stands  southwest  to  northeast.  The  entrance 
is  at  the  southwest  end  and  the  altar  at  the  northeast. 
There  is  also  a side  entrance  at  the  east,  with  a half-circular 
arch,  sloping  into  a larger  arch  inside,  with  a flat  top  and 
rounded  upper  corners.  The  thickness  of  the  walls  allows 
the  working  out  of  various  styles  in  these  outer  and  inner 
arches  that  is  curious  and  interesting.  They  reveal  the 
individuality  of  the  builder,  and  as  they  are  all  structural 
and  pleasing  they  afford  a wonderful  example  of  variety 
in  adapting  the  arch  to  its  necessary  functions. 

Four  sets  of  pilasters  on  each  side  divide  the  walls  into 
effective  panels,  in  each  of  which  is  set  a sunk-in  arch. 


250  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Upon  each  pilaster  rests  a corbel.  Additional  corbels  are 
placed  between  the  pilasters,  and  on  these  the  roof-beams 
rest. 

Nine  square  recesses,  as  if  for  windows,  are  to  be  seen 
on  both  sides,  but  a few  only  are  pierced  through  and  used 
as  windows. 

The  church  walls  throughout  are  built  of  adobe. 

The  sacristy  is  in  the  rear  of  the  church,  and  it  is  evi- 
dent that  here,  as  in  so  many  of  the  Missions,  digging  has 
been  going  on.  Over  the  entrance  is  an  arch,  shell-like 
inside,  built  of  burnt  brick. 

The  choir  loft  is  at  the  southwest  end,  over  the  main 
entrance,  which  is  a rounded  arch  outside  and  a flat  one 
inside. 

The  corridors  of  the  inner  court  extended  from  this 
church  to  the  monastery  — the  building  recently  restored 
by  the  Landmarks  Club.  Only  one  pillar  now  stands,  all 
the  rest  having  tumbled.  They  were  built  of  large  flat 
burned  brick.  Some  of  them  were  square,  as  at  Punsima, 
others  are  ruins  of  rounded  columns.  These  latter  were 
made  of  square  brick,  and  the  rounding  out  was  accom- 
plished with  cement. 

The  graveyard  is  on  the  northwest  side  of  the  church, 
and  close  by  is  the  old  olive  orchard,  where  a number  of 
fine  trees  are  still  growing.  There  are  also  two  large 
palms,  pictures  of  which  are  generally  taken  with  the 
Mission  in  the  background,  and  the  mountains  beyond. 
It  is  an  exquisite  subject.  The  remains  of  adobe  walls  still 
surround  the  orchard. 

The  doorway  leading  to  the  graveyard  is  of  a half- 
circle inside,  and  slopes  outward,  where  the  arch  is  square. 

There  is  a buttress  of  burnt  brick  to  the  southeast  of 
the  church,  which  appears  as  if  it  might  have  been  an  addi- 
tion after  the  earthquake. 

At  the  monastery  the  chief  entrance  is  a simple  but 
effective  arched  doorway,  now  plastered  and  whitewashed. 


SAN  FERNANDO,  REY  DE  ESPAGNA  251 


The  double  door  frame  projects  pilaster-like,  with  a four- 
membered  cornice  above,  from  which  rises  an  elliptical  arch, 
with  an  elliptical  cornice  about  a foot  above. 

From  this  monastery  one  looks  out  upon  a court  or  plaza 
which  is  literally  dotted  with  ruins,  though  they  are  mainly 
of  surrounding  walls.  Immediately  in  the  foreground  is  a 
fountain,  the  reservoir  of  which  is  built  of  brick  covered 
with  cement.  A double  bowl  rests  on  the  centre  standard. 

Further  away  in  the  court  are  the  remnants  of  what  may 
have  been  another  fountain,  the  reservoir  of  which  is  made 
of  brick,  built  into  a singular  geometrical  figure.  This  is 
composed  of  eight  semicircles,  with  V’s  connecting  them, 
the  apex  of  each  V being  on  the  outside.  It  appears  like  an 
attempt  at  creating  a conventionalized  flower  in  brick. 

Two  hundred  yards  or  so  away  from  the  monastery  is 
a square  structure,  the  outside  of  boulders.  Curiosity 
prompting,  you  climb  up,  and  on  looking  in  you  find  that 
inside  this  framework  of  boulders  are  two  circular  cisterns 
of  brick,  fully  six  feet  in  diameter  across  the  top,  decreas- 
ing in  size  to  the  bottom,  which  is  perhaps  four  feet  in 
diameter. 

In  March,  1905,  considerable  excitement  was  caused  by 
the  actions  of  the  parish  priest  of  San  Fernando,  a French- 
man named  Le  Bellegny,  of  venerable  appearance  and 
gentle  manners.  Not  being  acquainted  with  the  status  quo 
of  the  old  Mission,  he  exhumed  the  bodies  of  the  Franciscan 
friars  who  had  been  buried  in  the  church  and  reburied 
them.  He  removed  the  baptismal  font  to  his  church,  and 
unroofed  some  of  the  old  buildings  and  took  the  tiles  and 
timbers  away.  As  soon  as  he  understood  the  matter  he 
ceased  his  operations,  but,  unfortunately,  not  before  con- 
siderable damage  was  done. 


252  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

SAN  LUIS,  REY  DE  FRANCIA 

THE  last  Mission  of  the  century,  the  last  of 
Lasuen’s  administration,  and  the  last  south  of 
Santa  Barbara,  was  that  of  San  Luis  Rey. 
Lasuen  himself  explored  the  region  and  determined  the 
site.  The  Governor  agreed  to  it,  and  on  the  27th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1798,  ordered  a guard  to  be  furnished  from  San 
Diego  who  should  obey  Lasuen  implicitly  and  help  erect 
the  necessary  buildings  for  the  new  Mission.  The  founding 
took  place  on  the  13th  of  June,  in  the  presence  of  Captain 
Grajera  and  his  guard,  a few  San  Juan  neophytes,  and 
many  gentiles,  President  Lasuen  performing  the  cere- 
monies aided  by  Padres  Peyri  and  Santiago.  Fifty-four 
children  were  baptized  at  the  same  time,  and  from  the  very 
start  the  Mission  was  prosperous.  No  other  missionary 
has  left  such  a record  as  Padre  Peyri.  He  was  zealous, 
sensible,  and  energetic.  He  knew  what  he  wanted  and  how 
to  secure  it.  The  Indians  worked  willingly  for  him,  and 
by  the  1st  of  July  six  thousand  adobes  were  made  for  the 
church.  By  the  end  of  1800  there  were  337  neophytes, 
617  larger  stock,  and  1600  sheep. 

The  new  church  was  completed  in  1801—2,  but  Peyri  was 
too  energetic  to  stop  at  this.  Buildings  of  all  kinds  were 
erected,  and  neophytes  gathered  in  so  that  by  1810  its 
population  was  1519,  with  the  smallest  death  rate  of  any 
Mission.  In  1811  Peyri  petitioned  the  Governor  to  allow 
him  to  build  a new  and  better  church  of  adobes  and  bricks ; 
but  as  consent  was  not  forthcoming  he  went  out  to  Pala, 


Plate  XXX VI l 


b.  SAN  FRANCISCO  SOLANO  MISSION,  AT  SONOMA 


SAN  LUIS,  REY  DE  FRANCIA 


253 


and  in  1816  established  a branch  establishment,  built  a 
church,  and  the  picturesque  campanile  now  known  all  over 
the  world,  and  soon  had  a thousand  converts  tilling  the 
soil  and  attending  the  services  of  the  church. 

In  1826  San  Luis  Rey  reached  its  maximum  in  popula- 
tion with  2869  neophytes.  From  now  on  began  its  decline, 
though  in  material  prosperity  it  was  far  ahead  of  any 
other  Mission.  In  1828  it  had  28,900  sheep,  and  the  cattle 
were  also  rapidly  increasing.  The  average  crop  of  grain 
was  12,660  bushels. 

Duhaut-Cilly  left  perhaps  the  best  description  extant  of 
San  Luis  in  its  palmy  days.  He  visited  it  in  1827,  and 
says : 

“ At  last  we  turned  inland,  and  after  a jaunt  of  an  hour  and  a 
half  we  found  before  us,  on  a piece  of  rising  ground,  the  superb 
buildings  of  Mission  San  Luis  Rey,  whose  glittering  whiteness 
was  flashed  back  to  us  by  the  first  rays  of  the  day.  At  that  dis- 
tance, and  in  the  still  uncertain  light  of  dawn,  this  edifice,  of 
a very  beautiful  model,  supported  upon  its  numerous  pillars 
had  the  aspect  of  a palace.  The  architectural  faults  cannot  be 
grasped  at  this  distance,  and  the  eye  is  attracted  only  to  the 
elegant  mass  of  this  beautiful  structure.  . . . Instinctively  I 
stopped  my  horse  to  gaze  alone,  for  a few  minutes,  on  the  beauty 
of  this  sight.” 

Later  he  says,  “ The  buildings  were  drawn  on  a large  and 
ample  plan,  wholly  the  idea  of  the  Padre  (Peyri)  ; he  directed 
the  execution  of  it,  in  which  he  was  assisted  by  a very  skilful 
man,  who  had  contributed  also  to  the  building  of  those  at  Santa 
Barbara ; so,  although  these  are  much  more  sumptuous,  at  that 
place  may  be  recognized  the  same  hand. 

“ This  building  forms  a large  square  of  five  hundred  feet  on 
each  side.  The  main  fa<^ade  is  a long  peristyle  borne  on  thirty- 
two  square  pillars  supporting  round  arches.  The  edifice  is  com- 
posed, indeed,  of  only  a ground-floor,  but  its  elevation,  of  fine 
proportions,  gives  it  as  much  grace  as  nobleness.  It  is  covered 
with  a tiled  roof,  flattened,  around  which  reaches,  as  much  with- 
out as  within  the  square,  a terrace  with  an  elegant  balustrade 
which  stimulates  still  more  the  height.  Within  is  seen  a large 


254  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


court,  neat  and  levelled,  around  which  pillars  and  arches  similar 
to  those  of  the  peristyle  support  a long  cloister,  by  which  one 
communicates  with  all  the  dependencies  of  the  Mission.” 

When  Peyri  saw  that  the  republic  was  inevitable  he  be- 
came its  enthusiastic  friend  and  swore  allegiance;  but  as 
the  plans  of  the  spoliators  became  more  open,  and  the  law 
of  expulsion  of  all  Spaniards  was  passed  in  1829,  he  en- 
deavored to  obtain  his  passports,  though  unsuccessfully. 
When  Governor  Victoria  was  exiled  he  went  from  San 
Gabriel  to  rest  and  recruit  awhile  at  San  Luis  Rey;  and 
then  the  venerable  padre  decided  that  the  time  had  come 
for  him  to  leave  the  scene  of  over  thirty  years  of  arduous 
though  congenial  toil.  Accordingly  he  went  with  Victoria 
to  San  Diego,  where  a vessel  had  been  chartered.  The 
story  is  told,  and  I do  not  question  its  material  truth,  that, 
knowing  he  could  not  comfortably  take  leave  of  his  Indians, 
he  fled  in  the  night  time,  hoping  to  escape  without  their 
knowledge.  Missing  him,  however,  in  the  morning,  they 
learned  somehow  that  he  had  gone,  so,  mounting  their 
ponies,  a large  number  of  them  rode  to  San  Diego,  hoping 
to  be  able  to  bring  him  back.  They  arrived  just  as  the 
ship  was  weighing  anchor.  Standing  on  the  deck,  with 
outstretched  arms  he  blessed  them  amid  their  tears  and 
cries.  Some  swam  out  after  the  ship,  it  is  said.  He  had 
with  him  four  neophyte  boys,  whom  he  took  to  Europe. 

For  many  years  the  Indians  left  behind  at  San  Luis  Rey 
were  in  the  habit  of  placing  candles  and  flowers  before  the 
picture  of  Padre  Peyri  and  offering  prayers  to  him,  plead- 
ing with  him  to  return.  Even  after  his  death  this  was  kept 
up,  the  simple-hearted  Indians  preferring  to  pray  to  a 
saint,  whose  goodness  they  had  known  and  felt,  rather  than 
to  those  of  whom  they  knew  nothing  but  what  they  were 
told. 

In  his  address  before  the  assembly  May  1,  1834,  Fig- 
ueroa stated  that  three  pueblos  had  been  organized  out  of 


SAN  LUIS,  REY  DE  FRANCIA 


255 


Mission  communities,  and  that  the  one  of  Las  Flores,  by  the 
neophytes  of  San  Luis  Rey  was  flourishing.  How  true  this 
is  there  is  no  evidence  in  the  records  to  show.  By  his  decree 
of  November  4 San  Luis  Rey  was  made  a parish  of  the 
first  class,  and  earlier,  in  October,  he  had  issued  a resolu- 
tion of  the  assembly  to  the  effect  that  Indian  towns  were 
no  longer  to  be  called  Missions.  They  were  towns  of  the 
republic,  subject  to  the  civil  laws  the  same  as  other  towns, 
and  not  under  the  control  of  the  padres  alone. 

San  Luis  Rey  was  one  of  the  Missions  where  a large 
number  of  cattle  were  slaughtered  on  account  of  the  secu- 
larization decree.  It  is  said  that  some  20,000  head  were 
killed  at  the  San  Jacinto  Rancho  alone.  The  Indians  were 
much  stirred  up  over  the  granting  of  the  ranchos,  which 
they  claimed  were  their  own  lands.  Indeed  they  formed  a 
plot  to  capture  the  Governor  on  one  of  his  southern  trips 
in  order  to  protest  to  him  against  the  granting  of  the 
Temecula  Rancho. 

The  final  secularization  took  place  in  November,  1834, 
with  Captain  Portilla  as  comisionado  and  Pio  Pico  as 
majordomo  and  administrator  until  1840.  There  was 
trouble  in  apportioning  the  lands  among  the  Indians,  for 
Portilla  called  for  fifteen  or  twenty  men  to  aid  him  in 
quelling  disturbances;  and  at  Pala  the  majordomo  was 
knocked  down  and  left  for  dead  by  an  Indian.  The  inven- 
tory showed  property  (including  the  church,  valued  at 
$30,000)  worth  $203,707,  with  debts  of  $93,000.  The  six 
ranchos  were  included  as  worth  $40,437,  the  three  most 
valuable  being  Pala,  Santa  Margarita,  and  San  Jacinto. 

Micheltorena’s  decree  of  1843  restored  San  Luis  Rey  to 
priestly  control,  but  by  that  time  its  spoliation  was  nearly 
complete.  Padre  Zalvidea  was  in  his  dotage,  and  the  four 
hundred  Indians  had  scarcely  anything  left  to  them.  Two 
years  later  the  majordomo,  appointed  by  Zalvidea  to  act 
for  him,  turned  over  the  property  to  his  successor,  and  the 
inventory  shows  the  frightful  wreckage.  Of  all  the  vast 


256  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


herds  and  flocks,  only  279  horses,  20  mules,  61  asses,  196 
cattle,  27  yoke  oxen,  700  sheep,  and  a few  valueless  imple- 
ments remained.  All  the  ranchos  had  passed  into  private 
ownership. 

May  18,  1816,  all  that  remained  of  the  former  king  of 
Missions  was  sold  by  Pio  Pico  to  Cot  and  Jose  Pico  for 
$2437.  Fremont  dispossessed  their  agent  and  they  failed 
to  gain  repossession,  the  courts  deciding  that  Pico  had  no 
right  to  sell.  In  1847  the  celebrated  Mormon  battalion, 
which  Parkman  so  vividly  describes  in  his  Oregon  and 
California  Trail,  were  stationed  at  San  Luis  Rey  for  two 
months,  and  later  on,  a re-enlisted  company  was  sent  to 
take  charge  of  it  for  a short  time.  On  their  departure 
Captain  Hunter,  as  sub-Indian  agent,  took  charge  and 
found  a large  number  of  Indians,  amenable  to  discipline 
and  good  workers. 

The  general  statistics  from  the  founding  in  1798  to 
1834  show  5591  baptisms,  1425  marriages,  2859  deaths. 
In  1832  there  were  27,500  cattle,  2226  horses  in  1828,  345 
mules  in  the  same  year,  28,913  sheep  in  1828,  and  1300 
goats  in  1832. 

In  1892  Father  J.  J.  O’Keefe,  who  had  done  excellent 
work  at  Santa  Barbara,  was  sent  to  San  Luis  Rey  to 
repair  the  church  and  make  it  suitable  for  a missionary 
college  of  the  Franciscan  order.  May  12,  1893,  the  rededi- 
cation ceremonies  of  the  restored  building  took  place,  the 
bishop  of  the  diocese,  the  vicar-general  of  the  Franciscan 
order  and  other  dignitaries  being  present  and  aiding  in  the 
solemnities.  Three  old  Indian  women  were  also  there  who 
heard  the  mass  said  at  the  original  dedication  of  the  church 
in  1802.  Since  that  time  Father  O’Keefe  has  raised  and 
expended  thousands  of  dollars  in  repairing,  always  keeping 
in  mind  the  original  plans.  He  now  contemplates  the  resto- 
ration, or,  rather,  rebuilding  — for  all  but  the  arches  of 
the  corridors  are  entirely  gone  — of  the  monastery. 

San  Luis  Rey  is  now  a college  for  the  training  of  mis- 


SAN  LUIS,  REY  DE  FRANCIA 


257 


sionaries  for  the  field,  and  Father  J.  J.  O’Keefe,  O.  F.  M., 
is  working  as  rapidly  as  means  will  allow  to  reconstruct 
some  of  the  buildings  and  use  them  for  the  purposes  of  the 
college.  It  is  planned  to  erect  over  fifty  rooms,  which  will 
include  kitchen,  pantry,  refectory,  library,  class-rooms, 
recreation  room,  infirmary,  and  rooms  for  the  66  religious.” 
The  building  will  occupy  the  site  to  the  left  of  the  old  Mis- 
sion, where  the  arches  of  the  corridors  still  remain.  It  will 
be  a story  and  a half  high,  mainly  of  adobe,  made  on  the 
ground.  The  quadrangle  will  be  restored  on  the  old  lines, 
only  smaller  (about  one  fourth  to  one  third  the  size  of  the 
former  one),  and  a wash-house  or  laundry,  a bath-house, 
new  water  tank,  etc.,  are  already  built.  The  remaining 
space,  inside  the  quadrangle,  will  be  utilized  as  a house 
garden.  Of  course  none  of  the  standing  arches  will  be  dis- 
turbed. Those  that  are  in  the  area  will  be  utilized,  as  it  is 
planned  to  use  the  corridors  for  processions  as  in  the  old 
days.  The  estimated  cost  is  $20,000,  exclusive  of  most  of 
the  labor  which  will  be  done  by  the  lay  brothers  of  the  col- 
lege. The  front  wall  will  be  186  feet  long  and  14  feet  high 
to  the  ceilings,  and  the  buildings  will  extend  in  wings,  174 
feet,  back  to  the  end  of  the  church,  which  is  to  the  north- 
west. Much  of  this  work  is  already  accomplished,  and, 
possibly,  by  the  time  this  book  is  issued  the  front  portion 
will  be  erected.  But  Father  O’Keefe  is  compelled  to  go 
slowly,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  funds,  and  I can  only  sug- 
gest to  my  readers  who  desire  to  see  San  Luis  Rey  restored 
to  something  of  its  former  useful  activity,  that  they  will- 
ingly contribute  to  aid  to  that  end.  Letters  with  checks, 
addressed  to  Father  O’Keefe,  San  Luis  Rey  Mission,  San 
Diego  Co.,  Calif.,  will  receive  grateful  acknowledgment. 

Of  this  plaza  it  is  said  that  after  the  order  of  secular- 
ization had  gone  into  effect  it  often  saw  the  excitements 
of  the  bull  fight.  Crowds  of  spectators  used  to  assemble 
on  the  roofs  of  the  corridors,  which  afforded  them  an 
excellent  view  and  perfect  safety.  And  rumor  goes  even 

17 


258  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


further,  and  asserts  that  Don  Pio  Pico  himself,  now  and 
again,  would  assume  the  role  of  matador  and  engage  the 
infuriated  animal  within,  evidently  enjoying  the  hearty 
applause  of  his  audience. 

On  the  fachada  at  San  Luis  Rey  are  two  brackets  at  the 
foot  of  niches  for  statues.  These  are  built  of  rounded 
courses  of  bevelled  brick,  moulded  to  the  shape  required, 
thus  producing  a pretty  effect  permanently.  The  pilasters 
or  engaged  columns  also  are  of  moulded  brick  to  give  the 
curved  effects. 

Immediately  on  entering  the  church  one  observes  door- 
ways to  the  right  and  left,  — the  one  on  the  right  bricked 
up.  It  is  the  door  that  used  to  lead  into  the  Mortuary 
Chapel,  later  to  be  described. 

A semicircular  arch  spans  the  whole  church  from  side 
to  side,  about  thirty  feet,  on  which  the  original  decorations 
still  remain.  These  are  in  rude  imitation  of  marble,  as  at 
Santa  Barbara,  in  black  and  red,  with  bluish  green  lines. 
The  wall  colorings  below  are  in  imitation  of  black  marble. 

The  holy-water  vessels  are  both  gone  from  their  places 
in  the  wall,  but  the  original  decorations  that  surrounded 
them  remain. 

The  main  engaged  columns,  or  pilasters,  of  which  there 
are  eight,  — four  on  each  side,  — consist  of  a base,  with  a 
four-membered  wainscot  moulding,  above  which  the  column 
rises  to  within  about  two  feet  of  the  ceiling.  Here,  equally 
simple  mouldings  crown  the  pilaster.  The  decoration  is 
imitation  of  marble.  The  bricks  of  which  the  pilasters  are 
built  are  burnt,  and  the  corner  ones  are  specially  moulded 
in  a rounded  device  to  add  a pleasing  effect. 

Over  each  window  the  original  distemper  decorations 
remain,  stretching  out  to  the  sides  from  a kind  of  mosaic 
star. 

The  choir  gallery  is  over  the  main  entrance,  and  there 
the  great  revolving  music  stand  is  still  in  use,  with  several 
of  the  large  and  interesting  illuminated  manuscript  sing- 


Plate  XXXYIII 


a.  SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PADUA  MISSION 


b.  GRAVEYARD  AND  REAR  OF  SANTA  INES  MISSION 


SAN  LUIS,  REY  DE  FRANCIA 


259 


ing-books  of  the  early  days.  In  Mission  days  it  was  gen- 
erally the  custom  to  have  two  chanters,  who  took  care  of 
the  singing  and  the  books.  These,  with  all  the  other 
singers,  stood  around  the  revolving  music-stand,  on  which 
the  large  manuscript  chorals  were  placed. 

The  old  byzantine  pulpit  still  occupies  its  original  posi- 
tion at  San  Luis  Rey,  but  the  sounding-board  is  gone  — 
no  one  knows  whither.  This  is  of  a type  commonly  found 
in  continental  churches,  the  corbel  with  its  conical  sides 
harmonizing  with  the  ten  panels  and  base-mouldings  of  the 
box  proper.  It  is  fastened  to  the  pilaster  which  supports 
the  arch  above. 

The  original  paint  — a little  of  it  — still  remains.  It 
appears  to  have  been  white  panels,  lined  in  red  and  blue. 

It  was  entered  from  the  side  altar,  through  a doorway 
pierced  through  the  wall.  The  steps  leading  up  to  it  are 
of  red  burnt  brick.  Evidently  it  was  a home  product,  and 
was  possibly  made  by  one  of  Padre  Peyri’s  Indian  car- 
penters, who  was  rapidly  nearing  graduation  into  the  ranks 
of  the  skilled  cabinet-makers. 

The  Mortuary  Chapel,  before  referred  to,  is  perhaps  as 
fine  a piece  of  work  as  any  in  the  whole  Mission  chain.  It 
is  beautiful  even  now  in  its  sad  dilapidation.  It  was 
crowned  with  a domed  roof  of  heavy  cement.  The  entrance 
was  by  the  door  in  the  church  to  the  right  of  the  main 
entrance.  The  room  is  octagonal,  with  the  altar  in  a recess, 
over  which  is  a dome  of  brick,  with  a small  lantern.  At 
each  point  of  the  octagon  there  is  an  engaged  column, 
built  of  circular-fronted  brick  which  run  to  a point  at  the 
rear  and  are  thus  built  into  the  wall.  A three-membered 
cornice  crowns  each  column,  which  supports  arches  that 
reach  from  one  column  to  another.  There  are  two  win- 
dows, one  to  the  southeast,  the  other  northwest.  The  altar 
is  at  the  northeast.  There  are  two  doorways,  with  stair- 
ways which  lead  to  a small  outlook  over  the  altar  and  the 
whole  interior.  These  were  for  the  watchers  of  the  dead, 


260  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


so  that  at  a glance  they  might  see  that  nothing  was 
disturbed. 

The  altar  and  its  recess  are  most  interesting,  the  rear 
wall  of  the  former  being  decorated  in  classic  design. 

The  original  altar  table  rested  upon  a vase-like  base, 
built  of  brick  and  cement,  now  in  ruins.  On  the  occasion 
of  my  last  visit,  as  I sat  looking  at  the  sage  and  other 
wild  plants  growing  up  on  the  chapel  floor,  the  hens  and 
chickens  feeding  and  scratching,  lizards  and  horned  toads 
moving  to  and  fro,  with  linnets,  larks,  and  sparrows  sing- 
ing and  chirping  upon  the  walls  above,  I could  not  help 
the  reflection  that  Nature  pays  no  attention  to  the  works 
of  the  past.  She  lives  only  for  to-day.  If  the  splendid 
achievements  of  architecture  of  man  are  neglected,  they 
fall  into  ruins,  and  the  lowest  of  the  animals  and  insects 
come  and  take  possession  of  them;  the  drifting  seeds  of 
the  humblest  weeds  find  lodgment  and  grow  even  in  the 
places  once  held  most  sacred.  There  is  no  regretting,  no 
mourning,  no  weeping.  Only  what  is,  is,  and  that  must  be 
utilized  now. 

Father  O’Keefe  assures  me  that  this  chapel  is  of  the  third 
order  of  St.  Francis,  the  founder  of  the  Franciscan  Order. 
In  the  oval  space  over  the  arch  which  spans  the  entrance 
to  the  altar  are  the  “ arms  ” of  the  third  order,  consisting 
of  the  Cross  and  the  five  wounds  (the  stigmata)  of  Christ, 
which  were  conferred  upon  St.  Francis  as  a special  sign 
of  divine  favor. 


SANTA  INES 


261 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
* 

SANTA  INES 

“ I EAUTIFUL  for  situation”  was  the  spot  selected 
for  the  only  Mission  founded  during  the  first 
JLJ  decade  of  the  nineteenth  century,  — Santa  Ines. 

Governor  Borica,  who  called  California  44  the  most  peace- 
ful and  quiet  country  on  earth,”  and  under  whose  orders 
Padre  Lasuen  had  established  the  five  Missions  of  1796-97, 
had  himself  made  explorations  in  the  scenic  mountainous 
regions  of  the  coast,  and  recommended  the  location  after- 
wards determined  upon,  called  by  the  Indians  Alajulapu, 
meaning  rincon,  or  corner. 

The  native  population  was  reported  to  number  over  a 
thousand,  and  the  fact  that  they  were  frequently  engaged 
in  petty  hostilities  among  themselves  rendered  it  necessary 
to  employ  unusual  care  in  initiating  the  new  enterprise. 
Presidente  Tapis  therefore  asked  the  Governor  for  a larger 
guard  than  was  generally  assigned  for  protecting  the 
Missions,  and  a sergeant  and  nine  men  were  ordered  for 
that  purpose. 

The  distance  from  Santa  Barbara  was  about  thirty-five 
miles,  over  a rough  road,  hardly  more  than  a trail,  wind- 
ing in  and  out  among  the  foothills,  and  gradually  climbing 
up  into  the  mountains  in  the  midst  of  most  charming  and 
romantic  scenery.  The  quaint  procession,  consisting  of 
Padre  presidente  Tapis  and  three  other  priests,  Command- 
ant Carrillo,  and  the  soldiers,  and  a large  number  of  neo- 
phytes from  Santa  Barbara,  slowly  marched  over  this 
mountainous  road,  into  the  woody  recesses  where  nestled 
the  future  home  of  the  Mission  of  Santa  Ines,  and  where 


262  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


the  usual  ceremonies  of  foundation  took  place  September 
17,  1801.  Padres  Calzada,  Gutierrez,  and  Cipres  assisted 
President  Tapis,  and  the  two  former  remained  as  the  mis- 
sionaries in  charge. 

The  first  result  of  the  founding  of  this  Mission  was  the 
immediate  baptism  of  twenty-seven  children,  a scene  worthy 
of  the  canvas  of  a genius,  could  any  modern  painter  con- 
ceive of  the  real  picture,  — the  group  of  dusky  little  ones 
with  sombre,  wondering  eyes,  and  the  long-gowned  priests, 
with  the  soldiers  on  guard  and  the  watchful  Indians  in 
native  costume  in  the  background,  — all  in  the  temple  of 
nature’s  creating. 

This  auspicious  opening  was  not  followed  by  uninter- 
rupted prosperity.  During  the  existence  of  the  Mission, 
about  thirty  years,  there  was  an  annual  average  of  forty- 
five  baptisms,  but  also  an  annual  average  of  forty-two 
deaths.  The  largest  number  of  neophytes  at  any  one  time 
was  in  1816,  when  there  were  768;  but  many  of  these 
came  from  neighboring  Missions.  Although  comparatively 
few  in  number,  the  results  of  their  toil  demonstrated 
the  efficiency  of  padres  and  people.  According  to  official 
reports,  the  total  number  of  cattle,  sheep,  horses,  mules, 
and  swine  possessed  by  them  in  1821  was  12,368.  They 
raised  large  crops  of  wheat,  barley,  corn,  and  beans,  and 

accumulated  stores  of  tallow,  hides,  wool,  and  soap.  Be- 

tween 1822  and  1827  they  furnished  supplies  to  the  pre- 
sidio at  Santa  Barbara  valued  at  $10,767,  — all  the  fruit 
of  the  labors  of  the  neophytes,  the  so-called  44  lazy  In- 
dians,” who  received  nothing  in  return  for  these  contribu- 
tions but  44  drafts  ” on  the  California  treasury,  that  were 
never  honored. 

The  first  church  erected  was  not  elaborate,  but  it  was 

roofed  with  tiles,  and  was  ample  in  size  for  all  needful 

purposes.  In  1812  an  earthquake  caused  a partial  col- 
lapse of  this  structure.  The  corner  of  the  church  fell, 
roofs  were  ruined,  walls  cracked,  and  many  buildings  near 


Plate  XXX IX 


PADRE  PEYRI,  THE  FOUNDER  OF  SAN  LUIS  REY 


SANTA  INES 


263 


the  Mission  were  destroyed.  This  was  a serious  calamity, 
but  the  padres  never  seemed  daunted  by  adverse  circum- 
stances. They  held  the  usual  services  in  a granary,  tempo- 
rarily, and  in  1817  completed  the  building  of  a new  church 
constructed  of  brick  and  adobe,  which  still  remains.  In 
1829  the  Mission  property  was  said  to  resemble  that  at 
Santa  Barbara.  On  one  side  were  gardens  and  orchards, 
on  the  other  houses  and  Indian  huts,  and  in  front  was  a 
large  enclosure,  built  of  brick  and  used  for  bathing  and 
washing  purposes. 

The  character  of  the  natives  of  this  region  was  of  a more 
turbulent  nature  than  that  of  some  of  the  California  tribes. 
They  were  alert,  intelligent,  and  not  slow  to  discover  occa- 
sion for  resentment  either  among  themselves  or  in  their 
association  with  the  white  race.  They  were  the  first  occu- 
pants of  the  land,  and  the  yoke  that  compelled  them  to 
labor  for  the  support  of  the  soldiers  and  submit  to  their 
control  was  galling.  This  spirit  of  revolt  led  to  an  up- 
rising that  caused  much  temporary  alarm.  It  was  on  Sun- 
day, February  21,  1824,  that  they  attacked  the  Mission. 
It  is  a matter  of  history  that  they  had  no  ill-feeling  against 
the  padres,  but  the  severe  treatment  received  at  the  hands 
of  the  soldiers  was  the  culminating  cause  of  this  act  of  re- 
bellion. It  was  supposed  that  the  plan  had  been  brewing 
for  months  among  the  natives  of  the  surrounding  country; 
but  either  circumstances  did  not  permit  of  a well-concerted 
scheme  for  attack  at  different  points,  or  they  lacked  com- 
petent leadership.  The  attack  on  Santa  Ines  was  severe. 
Though  no  one  was  killed,  a large  part  of  the  Mission 
buildings  were  burned,  though  it  is  probable  the  church 
was  not  seriously  injured,  as  there  is  no  record  of  its  hav- 
ing been  rebuilt.  On  Monday  Sergeant  Carrillo,  from 
Santa  Barbara,  arrived  with  a force,  and  the  hostiles  fled 
to  Purfsima,  where,  as  elsewhere  recorded,  there  was  severe 
fighting. 

When  Governor  Chico  came  up  to  assume  his  office  in 


264  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


1835  he  claimed  to  have  been  insulted  by  a poor  reception 
from  Padre  Jimeno  at  Santa  Ines.  The  padre  said  he  had 
had  no  notice  of  the  Governor’s  coming,  and  therefore  did 
the  best  he  could.  But  Presidente  Duran  took  the  bold 
position  of  informing  the  Governor  in  reply  to  a query, 
that  the  government  had  no  claim  whatever  upon  the  hos- 
pitality of  unsecularized  Missions.  Chico  reported  the 
whole  matter  to  the  assembly,  who  sided  with  the  Governor, 
rebuked  the  presidente  and  the  padres,  and  confirmed  an 
order  issued  for  the  immediate  secularization  of  Santa  Ines 
and  San  Buenaventura  (Duran’s  own  Mission).  J.  M. 
Ramirez  was  appointed  comisionado  at  Santa  Ines.  At  this 
time  the  Mission  was  prosperous.  The  inventory  showed 
property  valued  at  $46,186,  besides  the  church  and  its 
equipment.  The  general  statistics  from  the  foundation, 
1804  to  1834,  show  1372  baptisms,  409  marriages,  and 
1271  deaths.  The  largest  number  of  cattle  was  7300  in 
1831,  800  horses  in  1816,  and  6000  sheep  in  1821.  After 
secularization  horses  were  taken  for  the  troops,  and  while, 
for  a time,  the  cattle  increased,  it  was  not  long  before 
decline  set  in. 

In  1843  the  management  of  the  Mission  was  restored 
to  the  friars,  but  the  former  conditions  of  prosperity  had 
passed  away  never  to  return.  Two  years  later  the  estate 
was  rented  for  $580  per  year,  and  was  finally  sold  in  1846 
for  $1700,  although  in  later  times  the  title  was  declared  in- 
valid. In  the  meantime  an  ecclesiastical  college  was  opened 
at  Santa  Ines  in  1844.  A grant  of  land  had  been  obtained 
from  the  government,  and  an  assignment  of  $500  per  year 
to  the  seminary  on  the  condition  that  no  Californian  in 
search  of  a higher  education  should  ever  be  excluded  from 
its  doors ; but  the  pro  j ect  met  with  only  a temporary  suc- 
cess, and  was  abandoned  after  a brief  existence  of  six 
years. 

In  1844  President  Duran  reported  264  neophytes  at 
Santa  Ines,  with  sufficient  resources  for  their  support. 


SANTA  INES  265 

When  Pico’s  order  of  1845  was  issued,  the  Mission  was 
valued  at  $20,288.  This  did  not  include  the  church,  the 
curate’s  house  or  rooms,  and  the  rooms  needed  for  the 
courthouse.  This  inventory  was  taken  without  the  co- 
operation of  the  padre,  who  refused  to  sign  it.  He  — the 
padre  — remained  in  charge  until  1850,  when  the  Mission 
was  most  probably  abandoned. 

At  Santa  Ines  there  were  several  workers  in  leather  and 
silver  whose  reputation  still  remains.  In  various  parts  of 
the  State  are  specimens  of  the  saddles  they  made  and  carved 
and  then  inlaid  in  silver  that  are  worthy  a place  in  any 
noteworthy  collection  of  artistic  work. 

In  the  Santa  Ines  Valley,  several  miles  from  the  Mission, 
are  some  ruins  which  are  claimed  to  be  those  of  the  first 
hospital  ever  erected  in  California. 

There  are  five  bells  at  Santa  Ines,  and  I was  interested* 
enough  to  obtain  their  pitch.  There  were  two  D’s  and 
three  F’s,  in  two  octaves.  The  inscription  on  one  of  the 
back  bells  bears  the  legend  44  Manuel  Vargas  me  fecit  ano 
de  1818.”  Another:  44  Ave  Maria  Purisima  1807,”  and 
this  inscription  is  duplicated  on  the  bell  now  used  on  the 
parish  church  at  Lompoc.  The  one  to  the  right  is  in- 
scribed: 44  S.  S.  Juan  Bautista  ano  de  1803,”  and  still 
another:  44  Me  fecit  ano  de  1818  Lima,  Mision  de  la  Pu- 
risima de  la  Nueba  California.”  There  is  no  inscription 
on  the  top  bell.  It  is  not  improbable  that  the  two  bells 
inscribed  to  Ave  Maria  Purisima  were  contributed  to  the 
later-built  Mission,  as  was  also  the  one  from  San  Juan 
Bautista. 

The  top  bell  has  an  interesting  wooden  frame  holding  it, 
by  means  of  which  it  was  intended  it  should  be  swung, 
though  now  it  is  out  of  repair. 

Only  ten  arches  remain  at  Santa  Ines  of  the  long 
line  of  corridor  arches  that  once  graced  this  building. 
In  the  distance  is  a pillar  of  one  still  standing  alone. 
Between  it  and  the  last  of  the  ten,  eight  others  used  to 


266  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


be,  and  beyond  it  there  are  the  clear  traces  of  three  or 
four  more. 

The  church  floor  is  of  red  tiles.  All  the  window  arches 
are  plain  semicircles.  Plain,  rounded,  heavy  mouldings 
about  three  feet  from  the  floor,  and  the  same  distance  from 
the  ceiling,  extend  around  the  inside  of  the  church,  making 
a simple  and  effective  structural  ornament. 

The  original  altar  is  not  now  used.  It  is  hidden  behind 
the  more  pretentious  modern  one.  It  is  of  cement,  or  plas- 
tered adobe,  built  out,  like  a huge  statue  bracket,  from 
the  rear  wall.  The  old  tabernacle,  ornate  and  florid,  is 
still  in  use,  though  showing  its  century  of  service.  There 
are  also  several  interesting  candlesticks,  two  of  which  are 
pictured  in  the  chapter  on  woodwork. 

Almost  opposite  the  church  entrance  is  a large  reservoir, 
built  of  brick,  twenty-one  feet  long  and  eight  feet  wide.  It 
is  at  the  bottom  of  a walled-in  pit,  with  a sloping  entrance 
to  the  reservoir  proper,  walls  and  slope  being  of  burnt 
brick.  This  “ sunk  enclosure  ” is  about  sixty  feet  long  and 
thirty  feet  across  at  the  lower  end,  and  about  six  feet  below 
the  level  to  the  edge  of  the  reservoir. 

Connected  with  this  by  a cement  pipe  or  tunnel  laid 
underground,  over  660  feet  long,  is  another  reservoir  over 
forty  feet  long,  and  eight  feet  wide,  and  nearly  six  feet 
deep.  This  was  the  reservoir  which  supplied  the  Indian 
village  with  water.  The  upper  reservoir  was  for  the  use 
of  the  padres  and  also  for  bathing  purposes. 

The  water  supply  was  brought  from  the  mountains  sev- 
eral miles  distant,  flumed  where  necessary,  and  then  con- 
veyed under  ground  in  cement  pipes  made  and  laid  by  the 
Indians  under  the  direction  of  the  padres.  The  water- 
right  is  now  lost  to  the  Mission,  being  owned  by  private 
parties. 


SAN  RAFAEL  ARCANGEL 


267 


CHAPTER  XXV 

SAN  RAFAEL,  ARCANGEL 

IN  spite  of  what  Russian  writers  say  to  the  contrary, 
there  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  mortality  of  the  neo- 
phytes in  San  Francisco  led  to  the  founding  of  San 
Rafael  as  a health  measure.  The  native  name  for  the  site 
was  Nanaguani.  The  date  of  founding  was  December  14, 
1817.  There  were  about  240  neophytes  transferred  at 
first,  and  by  the  end  of  1820  the  number  had  increased  to 
590.  In  1818  a composite  building,  including  church, 
priest’s  house,  and  all  the  apartments  required,  was 
erected.  It  was  of  adobe  87  feet  long,  42  feet  wide,  and  18 
feet  high,  and  had  a corridor  of  tules.  In  1818,  when 
President  Payeras  visited  the  Mission,  he  was  not  very 
pleased  with  the  site,  and  after  making  a somewhat  careful 
survey  of  the  country  around  recommended  several  other 
sites  as  preferable. 

In  1824  a determined  effort  was  made  to  capture  a rene- 
gade neophyte  of  San  Francisco,  a native  of  the  San  Ra- 
fael region,  named  Pomponio,  who  for  several  years  had 
terrorized  the  country  at  intervals  as  far  south  as  Santa 
Cruz.  He  would  rob,  outrage,  and  murder,  confining  most 
of  his  attacks,  however,  upon  the  Indians.  He  had  slain 
one  soldier,  Manuel  Varela,  and  therefore  a determined 
effort  was  made  for  his  capture.  Lieutenant  Martinez,  a 
corporal,  and  two  men  found  him  in  the  Canyada  de  No- 
vato, above  San  Rafael.  He  was  sent  to  Monterey,  tried 
by  a court-martial  on  the  6th  of  February,  and  finally  shot 
the  following  September.  This  same  Martinez  also  had 
some  conflicts  about  the  same  time  with  chieftains  of  hos- 


268  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


tile  tribes,  north  of  the  bay,  named  Marin  and  Quintin, 
both  of  whom  have  left  names,  one  to  a county  and  the 
other  to  a point  on  the  bay. 

When  San  Francisco  Solano  was  founded  92  neophytes 
were  sent  there  from  San  Rafael.  In  spite  of  this,  the 
population  of  San  Rafael  increased  until  it  numbered 
1140  in  1828. 

In  1824  Kotzebue  visited  the  Mission  and  spoke  enthu- 
siastically of  its  natural  advantages,  though  he  made  but 
brief  reference  to  its  improvements.  On  his  way  to  So- 
noma Duhaut-Cilly  did  not  deem  it  of  sufficient  importance 
to  more  than  mention. 

Yet  it  was  a position  of  great  importance.  Governor 
Echeandia  became  alarmed  about  the  activity  of  the  Rus- 
sians at  Fort  Ross,  and  accused  them  of  bad  faith,  claiming 
that  they  enticed  neophytes  away  from  San  Rafael,  etc. 
The  Mexican  government  in  reply  urged  the  foundation 
of  a fort,  but  nothing  was  done,  owing  to  the  political  com- 
plications at  the  time,  which  made  no  man’s  tenure  of  office 
certain. 

When  the  northern  Missions  were  placed  under  the 
padres  from  Zacatecas,  Padre  Mercado  was  sent  to  San 
Rafael.  He  was  a self-opinionated  man,  who  soon  got  into 
trouble  with  Commandante  Vallejo  of  San  Francisco.  He 
demanded  the  surrender  of  a neophyte  whom  the  guard 
had  arrested  in  accordance  with  Vallejo’s  orders;  and  when 
the  corporal  of  the  guard  asked  for  meat  for  his  men, 
Mercado  insultingly  told  him  “ he  did  not  furnish  meat  to 
feed  wolves.”  The  corporal  caused  a sheep  to  be  killed,  and 
this  rendered  Mercado  furious.  A few  months  later  a band 
of  gentile  Indians  came  to  San  Rafael,  and  during  the 
night  a robbery  was  committed.  The  padre  accused  fifteen 
of  the  strangers  of  the  theft,  arrested  them,  and  sent  them 
to  San  Francisco.  Fearful  lest  the  whole  band  should 
then  come  down  upon  him  for  vengeance,  he  armed  his  neo- 
phytes and  sent  them  out  under  the  command  of  his  major- 


Plate  XL 


GARDEN  ENTRANCE  AT  SAN  LUIS  REY 


SAN  RAFAEL  ARCANGEL 


269 


domo  to  surprise  the  gentiles.  The  movement  was  a suc- 
cess from  his  standpoint,  as  twenty-one  were  killed,  as  many 
more  wounded,  and  twenty  made  captives,  some  of  these 
latter  being  women  and  children.  When  the  matter  was 
reported  to  Governor  Figueroa  he  was  exceedingly  indig- 
nant, especially  as  the  padre  asked  for  reinforcements  to 
44  pacify  ” the  ranchenas.  Mercado  was  suspended  by  his 
prefect,  pending  an  investigation,  while  Vallejo,  releasing 
the  prisoners  sent  to  San  Francisco,  also  freed  those  in 
bonds  at  San  Rafael,  and  then  went  among  the  ranchenas, 
explaining  the  matter  and  doing  his  best  to  quiet  the  angry 
feelings  aroused.  In  the  middle  of  the  following  year  Mer- 
cado was  released  and  returned  to  San  Rafael,  two  friars, 
who  had  been  sent  to  report  upon  the  matter,  claiming  he 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  attack. 

In  1834  Ignacio  Martinez  took  charge  as  comision- 
ado,  and  the  inventory,  September  31,  shows  values  as 
follows:  church,  $192;  ornaments,  etc.,  $777 ; 75  volumes, 
$108;  total,  $1077.  The  Mission  buildings,  $1123 ; gar- 
den or  orchard,  $968 ; boats,  etc.,  $500 ; live-stock,  $4339  ; 
Nicasio  Rancho,  $7256;  credits,  $170;  total,  $18,474; 
debts,  $3488 ; leaving  a balance  of  $15,025. 

In  December  there  were  distributed  to  343  Indians, 
doubtless  heads  of  families,  1291  sheep  and  439  horses. 

The  statistics  for  the  seventeen  years  of  the  Mission’s 
history  (1817-34)  show  1873  baptisms,  543  marriages, 
698  deaths. 

The  secularization  decree  ordered  that  San  Rafael  should 
become  a parish  of  the  first  class,  which  class  paid  its 
curates  $1500,  as  against  $1000  to  those  of  the  second 
class. 

In  1837  it  was  reported  that  the  Indians  were  not  using 
their  liberty  well;  so,  owing  to  the  political  troubles  at 
the  time,  General  Vallejo  was  authorized  to  collect  every- 
thing and  care  for  it  under  a promise  to  redistribute  when 
conditions  were  better.  In  1840  the  Indians  insisted  upon 


270  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


this  promise  being  kept,  and  in  spite  of  the  Governor’s 
opposition  Vallejo  succeeded  in  obtaining  an  order  for  the 
distribution  of  the  live-stock. 

In  1845  Pico’s  order,  demanding  the  return  within  one 
month  of  the  Indians  to  the  lands  of  San  Rafael  or  they 
would  be  sold,  was  published,  and  the  inventory  taken 
thereupon  showed  a value  of  $17,000  in  buildings,  lands, 
and  live-stock.  In  1846  the  sale  was  made  to  Antonio 
Sunol  and  A.  M.  Pico  for  $8000.  The  purchasers  did 
not  obtain  possession,  and  their  title  was  afterwards  de- 
clared invalid. 

In  the  distribution  of  the  Mission  stock  Vallejo  reserved 
a small  band  of  horses  for  the  purposes  of  national  defence, 
and  it  was  this  band  that  was  seized  by  the  44  Bear  Flag  ” 
revolutionists  at  the  opening  of  hostilities  between  the 
Americans  and  Mexicans.  This  act  was  followed  almost 
immediately  by  the  joining  of  the  insurgents  by  Fremont, 
and  the  latter’s  marching  to  meet  the  Mexican  forces, 
which  were  supposed  to  be  at  San  Rafael.  No  force,  how- 
ever, was  found  there,  so  Fremont  took  possession  of  the 
Mission  on  June  26,  1846,  and  remained  there  for  about 
a week,  leaving  there  to  chase  up  Torre,  who  had  gone  to 
join  Castro. 

When  he  finally  left  the  region  he  took  with  him  a 
number  of  cattle  and  horses,  went  to  Sonoma,  and  on  the 
5th  of  July  assumed  active  command  of  all  the  insurgent 
forces,  which  ultimated  in  the  conquest  of  the  State. 

From  this  time  the  ex-Mission  had  no  history.  The 
buildings  doubtless  suffered  much  from  Fremont’s  occu- 
pancy, and  never  being  very  elaborate  easily  fell  a prey 
to  the  elements. 

There  is  not  a remnant  of  them  now  left,  and  the  site 
is  occupied  by  a modern,  hideous,  wooden  building,  used 
as  an  armory.  Behind  this  are  a few  of  the  old  pear  trees 
planted  by  the  padres,  but  little,  if  anything,  else  remains. 
Yet  one  feels  the  wisdom  of  the  choice  of  even  this  spot. 


SAN  RAFAEL  ARCANGEL 


271 


Sheltered  and  secluded  by  surrounding  hills,  that  are 
rounded  and  beautifully  sloped,  and  then  covered  with 
richest  verdure  and  a variety  of  trees  in  which  song-birds 
nest  and  sing,  and  beneath  which  peaceful  cattle  and  sheep 
graze,  it  must  have  been  a place  of  rest,  content,  and  retire- 
ment for  the  poor  sick  neophytes  brought  up  from  San 
F rancisco. 


272  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

SAN  FRANCISCO  SOLANO 

FIFTY-FOUR  years  after  the  founding  of  the  first 
Franciscan  Mission  in  California,  the  site  was 
chosen  for  the  twenty-first  and  last,  San  Francisco 
Solano.  This  Mission  was  established  at  Sonoma  under 
conditions  already  narrated.  The  first  ceremonies  took 
place  July  4,  1823,  and  nine  months  later  the  Mission 
church  was  dedicated.  This  structure  was  built  of  boards, 
but  by  the  end  of  1824  a large  building  had  been  com- 
pleted, made  of  adobe  with  tiled  roof  and  corridor,  also 
a granary  and  eight  houses  for  the  use  of  the  padres  and 
soldiers.  Thus  in  a year  and  a half  from  the  time  the 
location  was  selected  the  necessary  Mission  buildings  had 
been  erected,  and  a large  number  of  fruit  trees  and  vines 
were  already  growing.  The  neophytes  numbered  693,  but 
many  of  these  were  sent  from  San  Francisco,  San  Jose 
and  San  Rafael.  The  Indians  at  this  Mission  represented 
thirty -five  different  tribes,  according  to  the  record,  yet 
they  worked  together  harmoniously,  and  in  1830  their 
possessions  included  more  than  8000  cattle,  sheep,  and 
horses.  Their  crops  averaged  nearly  2000  bushels  of  grain 
per  year. 

The  number  of  baptisms  recorded  during  the  twelve  years 
before  secularization  was  over  1300.  Ten  years  later 
only  about  200  Indians  were  left  in  that  vicinity. 

In  1834  the  Mission  was  secularized  by  M.  G.  Vallejo, 
who  appointed  Ortega  as  majordomo.  Vallejo  quarrelled 
with  Padre  Quijas,  who  at  once  left  and  went  to  reside 
at  San  Rafael.  The  movable  property  was  distributed 


SAN  FRANCISCO  SOLANO 


273 

to  the  Indians,  and  they  were  allowed  to  live  on  their  old 
rancherias,  though  there  is  no  record  that  they  were  form- 
ally allotted  to  them.  By  and  by  the  Gentile  Indians  so 
harassed  the  Mission  Indians  that  the  latter  placed  all  their 
stock  under  the  charge  of  General  Vallejo,  asking  him  to 
care  for  it  on  their  behalf.  The  herds  increased  under  his 
control,  the  Indians  had  implicit  confidence  in  him,  and  he 
seems  to  have  acted  fairly  and  honestly  by  them. 

The  pueblo  of  Sonoma  was  organized  as  a part  of  the 
secularization  of  San  Francisco  Solano,  and  also  to  afford 
homes  for  the  colonists  brought  to  the  country  by  Hijar 
and  Padres.  In  this  same  year  the  soldiers  of  the  presidio 
of  San  Francisco  de  Asis  were  transferred  to  Sonoma, 
to  act  as  a protection  of  the  frontier,  to  overawe  the  Rus- 
sians, and  check  the  incoming  of  Americans.  This  meant 
the  virtual  abandonment  of  the  post  by  the  shores  of  the 
bay.  Vallejo  supported  the  presidial  company,  mainly  at 
his  own  expense,  and  made  friends  with  the  native  chief, 
Solano,  who  aided  him  materially  in  keeping  the  Indians 
peaceful. 

The  general  statistics  of  the  Mission  for  the  eleven 
years  of  its  existence,  1823-34,  are  as  follows:  Baptisms 
1315,  marriages  278,  deaths  651.  The  largest  population 
was  996  in  1832.  The  largest  number  of  cattle  was  4849 
in  1833,  1148  horses  and  7114  sheep  in  the  same  year. 

In  January,  1838,  Tobias,  the  chief  of  the  Guilucos, 
and  one  of  his  men  were  brought  to  Sonoma  and  tried  for 
the  murder  of  two  Indian  fishermen.  The  prosecutor  asked 
for  five  years  in  the  chain-gang  for  the  chief,  and  death 
for  his  companion,  but  the  records  do  not  show  what 
punishment  was  awarded. 

In  August  a band  of  fifty  horse  thieves  crossed  the 
Sacramento  with  a number  of  tame  horses  for  the  purpose 
of  stampeding  the  Sonoma  herds.  Vallejo  gave  battle 
and  killed  thirty-four  of.  the  robbers,  the  rest  surrendered, 
and  the  chief  was  shot  at  Sonoma.  In  October  of  the  same 


18 


274  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


year  Vallejo  issued  a circular  stating  that  certain  persons 
had  made  his  friendly  chief  Solano  drunk,  and  that  many 
Indian  children  had  been  seized  and  sold  into  slavery.  So- 
lano was  arrested,  and  forces  sent  after  the  children,  all 
of  whom  were  recovered  and  restored  to  their  parents. 

In  1838  he  had  worse  troubles.  Smallpox  broke  out 
and  thousands  of  northern  Indians  were  swept  away  by 
the  dread  disease.  Vallejo  estimated  that  fully  70,000 
lost  their  lives.  He  claimed  that  the  pestilence  came  from 
the  English  settlements  by  way  of  Fort  Ross,  and  he 
urged  that  extra  precautions  be  taken  against  it.  For- 
tunately it  did  not  spread  south  of  the  bay. 

In  1845,  when  Pico’s  plan  for  selling  and  renting  the 
Missions  was  formulated,  Solano  was  declared  without 
value,  the  secularization  having  been  completely  carried 
out,  although  there  is  an  imperfect  inventory  of  buildings, 
utensils,  and  church  property.  It  was  ignored  in  the  final 
order.  Of  the  capture  of  Sonoma  by  the  Bear  Flag 
revolutionists  and  the  operations  of  Fremont,  it  is  impos- 
sible here  to  treat.  They  are  to  be  found  in  every  good 
history  of  California. 

In  1880  Bishop  Alemany  sold  the  Mission  and  grounds 
of  San  Francisco  Solano  to  a German  named  Schocken  for 
$3000.  With  that  money  a modern  church  was  erected 
for  the  parish,  which  is  still  being  used.  For  six  months 
after  the  sale  divine  services  were  still  held  in  the  old 
Mission,  and  then  Schocken  used  it  as  a place  for  storing 
wine  and  hay.  In  September,  1903,  it  was  sold  to  the 
Hon.  W.  R.  Hearst  for  $5000.  The  ground  plot  was  166 
by  150  feet.  It  is  said  that  the  tower  was  built  by  General 
Vallejo  in  1835  or  thereabouts.  The  deeds  have  been 
transferred  to  the  State  of  California  and  accepted  by  the 
Legislature.  The  intention  is  to  preserve  the  Mission  as 
a valuable  historic  landmark. 

The  church  is  about  thirty-six  feet  long  and  sixteen  feet 
wide.  The  vestibule  is  about  fifteen  feet  square,  and  stairs 


SAN  FRANCISCO  SOLANO 


275 


lead  from  it  into  the  choir  loft.  This  vestibule  is  lathed 
and  plastered.  The  front  wall  is  about  six  feet  thick,  of 
adobe  faced  with  burnt  red  brick.  The  side  walls  of  the 
church  join  the  ceiling  in  a curve,  instead  of  square,  but 
this  effect,  I believe,  is  produced  by  lath  and  plaster,  and 
is  not  a feature  of  the  construction.  The  interior  condition 
of  the  church  can  well  be  imagined  after  twenty-five  years’ 
use  as  a hay  barn. 

The  adjoining  buildings  are  in  even  worse  condition. 
Unlike  the  church,  which  is  roofed  with  shingles,  these  are 
covered  with  tiles,  but  fully  a fourth  of  them  have  fallen 
in.  To  protect  the  walls  a temporary  wooden  roof  has 
been  put  up.  The  building  is  divided  longitudinally  by 
a thick  wall  of  adobe,  upon  which  poles  rest  supporting 
the  ridge  poles.  The  rafters  are  unhewn  poles,  and  the 
crosspieces  are  of  rudely  hewn  planks,  upon  which  bundles 
of  brush  are  placed,  and,  finally,  the  covering  of  red  tiles. 
The  ceilings  to  the  rooms  are  strongly  constructed,  the 
beams  being  strong  hewn  logs  with  hewn  planks  laid  across 
them.  The  marks  of  the  adze  or  other  tool  are  still  clearly 
to  be  seen  on  these  logs  and  planks.  The  attic  was  un- 
doubtedly used  for  some  purpose,  possibly  for  the  sleeping- 
quarters  of  the  Indian  children,  as  at  so  many  others  of 
the  Missions. 

This  building  is  about  ninety-five  feet  long,  and  the  roof 
overhangs  on  each  side  to  cover  the  corridors,  which  are 
constructed  in  the  plainest,  simplest  fashion.  The  corridor 
roof  is  interesting,  in  that  it  is  made  of  willows  or  other 
brush  laid  across  the  roughly  hewn  rafters,  then  a strong 
willow  is  laid  at  right  angles,  and  the  whole  bound  together 
with  rawhide  thongs. 


£76  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

THE  MISSION  CHAPELS  OR  ASISTENCIAS 

THE  Mission  padres  were  the  first  circuit  riders 
or  pastors.  It  is  generally  supposed  that  the 
circuit  rider  is  a device  of  the  Methodist  church, 
but  history  clearly  reveals  that  long  prior  to  the  time  of 
the  sainted  Wesley,  and  the  denomination  he  founded,  the 
padres  were  44  riding  the  circuit,”  or  walking,  visiting  the 
various  rancherias  which  had  no  settled  pastor. 

Where  buildings  for  worship  were  erected  at  these 
places  they  were  called  chapels,  or  asistencias.  Some  of 
these  chapels  still  remain  in  use  and  the  ruins  of  others  are 
to  be  seen.  The  Mission  of  San  Gabriel  had  four  such 
chapels,  viz.,  Los  Angeles,  Puente,  San  Antonio  de  Santa 
Ana,  and  San  Bernardino.  Of  the  first  and  the  last  we 
have  considerable  history. 

LOS  ANGELES  CHAPEL 

As  I have  elsewhere  shown,  it  was  the  plan  of  the  Spanish 
Crown  not  only  to  christianize  and  civilize  the  Indians  of 
California,  but  also  to  colonize  the  country.  In  accordance 
with  this  plan  the  pueblo  of  San  Jose  was  founded  on  the 
£9th  of  November,  1776.  The  second  was  that  of  Los 
Angeles  in  1781.  Rivera  was  sent  to  secure  colonists  in 
Sonora  and  Sinaloa  for  the  new  pueblo,  and  also  for  the 
establishments  it  was  intended  to  found  on  the  channel  of 
Santa  Barbara. 

In  due  time  colonists  were  secured,  and  a more  mongrel 
lot  it  would  be  hard  to  conceive:  Indian,  Spanish,  negro, 


Plate  XLI 


Copyright,  1902,  by  C.  C.  Pierce  ft  Co. 

a.  BRUSH  CHURCH,  BELLS,  AND  CROSS  AT  SANTA  ISABEL 


b.  CAMPANILE  AND  CHAPEL,  SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PALA 


THE  MISSION  CHAPELS 


*277 


Indian  and  Spanish,  and  Indian  and  negro  bloods  were 
represented,  42  souls  in  all.  The  blood  which  makes  the 
better  Spanish  classes  in  Los  Angeles  to-day  so  proud 
represents  those  who  came  in  much  later. 

There  was  nothing  accidental  in  the  founding  of  any 
Spanish  colony.  Everything  was  planned  beforehand. 
The  colonist  obeyed  orders  as  rigidly  executed  as  if  they 
were  military  commands.  According  to  Professor  Guinn : 

“ The  area  of  a pueblo,  under  Spanish  rule  was  four  square 
leagues,  or  about  17,770  acres.  The  pueblo  lands  were  divided 
into  solares  (house  lots),  suertes 1 (fields  for  planting),  dehesas 
(outside  pasture  lands),  ejidos  (commons),  propios  (lands  rented 
or  leased),  realengas  (royal  lands).” 

On  the  arrival  of  the  colonists  in  San  Gabriel  from 
Loreto  on  the  18th  of  August,  1781,  Governor  Neve  issued 
instructions  for  founding  Los  Angeles  on  the  26th.  The 
first  requirement  was  to  select  a site  for  a dam,  to  provide 
water  for  domestic  and  irrigation  purposes.  Then  to 
locate  the  plaza  and  the  homes  and  fields  of  the  colonists. 
Says  Professor  Guinn: 

“ The  old  plaza  was  a parallelogram  100  varas  2 in  length  by  75 
in  breadth.  It  was  laid  out  with  its  corners  facing  the  cardinal 
points  of  the  compass,  and  with  its  streets  running  at  right 
angles  to  each  of  its  four  sides,  so  that  no  street  would  be  swept 
by  the  wind.  Two  streets,  each  10  varas  wide,  opened  out  on 
the  longer  sides,  and  three  on  each  of  the  shorter  sides.  Upon 
three  sides  of  the  plaza  were  the  house  lots  20  by  40  varas 
each,  fronting  on  the  square.  One-half  the  remaining  side  was 
reserved  for  a guard-house,  a town-house,  and  a public  granary. 
Around  the  embryo  town,  a few  years  later,  was  built  an  adobe 
wall  — not  so  much,  perhaps,  for  protection  from  foreign  invasion 
as  from  domestic  intrusion.  It  was  easier  to  wall  in  the  town 
than  to  fence  the  cattle  and  goats  that  pastured  outside.” 

1 Suerte.  This  is  colloquial.  It  really  means  “ chance  ” or  “ hap- 
hazard.” In  other  words  it  was  the  piece  of  ground  that  fell  to  the  settler 
by  “ lot.” 

2 A vara  is  the  Spanish  yard  of  33  inches. 


278  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


The  government  supplied  each  colonist  with  a pair  each 
of  oxen,  mules,  mares,  sheep,  goats,  and  cows,  one  calf,  a 
burro,  a horse,  and  the  branding-irons  which  distinguished 
his  animals  from  those  of  the  other  settlers.  There  were 
also  certain  tools  furnished  for  the  colony  as  a whole. 

On  the  14th  of  September  of  the  same  year  the  plaza 
was  solemnly  dedicated.  A father  from  the  San  Gabriel 
Mission  recited  mass,  a procession  circled  the  plaza,  bearing 
the  Cross,  the  standard  of  Spain,  and  an  image  of  “ Our 
Lady,”  after  which  salvos  of  musketry  were  fired  and 
general  rejoicings  indulged  in.  Of  course  the  plaza  was 
blessed  and  we  are  even  told  that  Governor  Neve  made  a 
speech. 

As  to  when  the  first  church  was  built  in  Los  Angeles 
there  seems  to  be  some  doubt.  In  1811  authority  was 
gained  for  the  erection  of  a new  chapel,  but  nowhere  is  there 
any  account  of  a prior  building.  Doubtless  some  tem- 
porary structure  had  been  used.  There  was  no  regular 
priest  settled  here,  for  in  1810  the  citizens  complained 
that  the  San  Gabriel  padres  did  not  pay  enough  attention 
to  their  sick.  In  August  of  1814  the  corner-stone  of  the 
new  chapel  was  laid  by  Padre  Gil  of  San  Gabriel,  but 
nothing  more  than  laying  the  foundation  was  done  for 
four  years.  Then  Governor  Sola  ordered  that  a higher  site 
be  chosen.  The  citizens  subscribed  five  hundred  cattle 
towards  the  fund,  and  Prefect  Payeras  made  an  appeal 
to  the  various  friars  which  resulted  in  donations  of  seven 
barrels  of  brandy,  worth  $575.  With  these  funds  the  work 
was  done,  Jose  Antonio  Ramirez  being  the  architect,  and 
his  workers  neophytes  from  San  Gabriel  and  San  Luis 
Rey,  who  were  paid  a real  (twelve  and  a half  cents)  per 
day.  Before  1821  the  walls  were  raised  to  the  window 
arches.  The  citizens,  however,  showed  so  little  interest  in 
the  matter  that  it  was  not  until  Payeras  made  another 
appeal  to  his  friars  that  they  contributed  enough  to  com- 
plete the  work.  Governor  Sola  gave  a little,  and  the  citi- 


THE  MISSION  CHAPELS 


279 


zens  a trifle.  It  is  interesting  to  note  what  the  contribu- 
tions of  the  friars  were.  San  Miguel  offered  500  cattle, 
San  Luis  Obispo  200  cattle,  Santa  Barbara  a barrel  of 
brandy,  San  Diego  two  barrels  of  white  wine,  Purfsima  six 
mules  and  200  cattle,  San  Fernando  one  barrel  brandy, 
San  Gabriel  two  barrels  brandy,  San  Buenaventura  said 
it  would  try  to  make  up  deficits  or  supply  church  furniture, 
etc.  Thus  Payeras’s  zeal  and  the  willingness  of  the  Los 
Angelenos  to  pay  for  wine  and  brandy,  which  they  doubt- 
less drank  “ to  the  success  of  the  church,”  completed  the 
structure,  and  December  8,  1822,  it  was  formally  dedicated. 
Auguste  Wey  writes: 

“ The  oldest  church  in  Los  Angeles  is  known  in  local  Amer- 
ican parlance  as  f The  Plaza  Church/  lf  Our  Lady/  ‘ Our  Lady  of 
Angels/  Church  of  Our  Lady/  f Church  of  the  Angels/  f Father 
Liebana’s  Church/  and  ‘The  Adobe  Church.’  It  is  formally  the 
church  of  Nuestra  Senora,  Reina  de  los  Angeles  — Our  Lady, 
Queen  of  the  Angels  — from  whom  Los  Angeles  gets  its  name.” 

This  latter  statement  is  manifestly  inaccurate,  as  the 
pueblo  was  named  long  before  the  church  was  even  sug- 
gested. 

The  plaza  was  formally  moved  to  its  present  site  in 
1835,  May  23,  when  the  government  was  changed  from  that 
of  a pueblo  to  a city. 

Concerning  the  name  of  the  pueblo  and  river,  Rev. 
Joachin  Adam,  Vicar  General  of  the  Diocese,  in  a paper 
read  before  the  Historical  Society  of  Southern  California 
several  years  ago,  said: 

“The  name  Los  Angeles  is  probably  derived  from  the  fact 
that  the  expedition  by  land,  in  search  of  the  harbor  of  Monterey, 
passed  through  this  place  on  the  2d  of  August,  1769,  a day 
when  the  Franciscan  missionaries  celebrate  the  feast  of  Nuestra 
Senora  de  Los  Angeles  — Our  Lady  of  the  Angels.  This  expe- 
dition left  San  Diego  July  14,  1769,  and  reached  here  on  the 
first  of  August,  when  they  killed  for  the  first  time  some  berrendos, 


280  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


or  antelope.  On  the  second,  they  saw  a large  stream  with  much 
good  land,  which  they  called  Porciuncula  on  account  of  com- 
mencing on  that  day  the  jubilee  called  Porciuncula,  granted  to 
St.  Francis  while  praying  in  the  little  church  of  Our  Lady  of 
the  Angels,  near  Assisi,  in  Italy,  commonly  called  Della  Porci- 
uncula from  a hamlet  of  that  name  near  by.”  This  was  the 
original  name  of  the  Los  Angeles  river. 

The  last  two  recorded  burials  within  the  walls  of  the 
Los  Angeles  chapel  are  those  of  the  young  wife  of  Nathan- 
iel M.  Pryor,  “ buried  on  the  left-hand  side  facing  the 
altar,”  and  of  Dona  Eustaquia,  mother  of  the  Dons 
Andres,  Jesus,  and  Pio  Rico,  all  intimately  connected  with 
the  history  of  the  later  days  of  Mexican  rule. 

CHAPEL  OF  SAN  MIGUEL 

In  1803  a chapel  was  built  at  a rancherfa  called  by  the 
Indians  Mescaltitlan , and  the  Spaniards  San  Miguel,  six 
miles  from  Santa  Barbara.  It  was  of  adobes,  twenty- 
seven  by  sixty-six  feet.  In  1807  eighteen  adobe  dwellings 
were  erected  at  the  same  place. 

0 

CHAPEL  OF  SAN  MIGUELITO 

One  of  the  vistas  of  San  Luis  Obispo  was  a rancherfa 
known  as  San  Miguelito,  and  here  in  1809  the  Governor 
gave  his  approval  that  a chapel  should  be  erected.  San 
Luis  had  several  such  vistas,  and  I am  told  that  the  ruins 
of  several  chapels  are  still  in  existence  in  that  region. 

CHAPEL  AT  SANTA  ISABEL  (SAN  DIEGO) 

In  1816-19  the  padres  at  San  Diego  urged  the  Gov- 
ernor to  give  them  permission  to  erect  a chapel  at  Santa 
Isabel,  some  forty  miles  away,  where  two  hundred  bap- 
tized Indians  were  living.  The  Governor  did  not  approve, 
however,  and  nothing  was  done  until  after  1820.  By 


THE  MISSION  CHAPELS 


281 


1822  the  chapel  was  reported  built,  with  several  houses, 
a granary,  and  a graveyard.  The  population  had  in- 
creased to  450,  and  these  materially  aided  San  Diego  in 
keeping  the  mountainous  tribes,  who  were  hostile,  in  check. 

A recent  article  in  a southern  California  magazine  thus 
describes  the  ruins  of  the  Mission  of  Santa  Isabel: 

“ Levelled  by  time,  and  washed  by  winter  rains,  the  adobe 
walls  of  the  church  have  sunk  into  indistinguishable  heaps  of 
earth  which  vaguely  define  the  outlines  of  the  ancient  edifice. 
The  bells  remain,  hung  no  longer  in  a belfry,  but  on  a rude 
framework  of  logs.  A tall  cross  made  of  two  saplings  nailed  in 
shape,  marks  the  consecrated  spot.  Beyond  it  rise  the  walls  of 
the  brush  building,  enramada,  woven  of  green  wattled  boughs, 
which  does  duty  for  a church  on  Sundays  and  on  the  rare  occa- 
sions of  a visit  from  the  priest  who  makes  a yearly  pilgrimage  to 
these  outlying  portions  of  his  diocese.  On  Sundays,  the  Gen- 
eral of  the  tribe  acts  as  lay  reader  and  recites  the  services. 
Then  and  on  Saturday  nights  the  bells  are  rung.  An  Indian 
boy  has  the  office  of  bell-ringer,  and  crossing  the  ropes  attached 
to  the  clappers  he  skilfully  makes  a solemn  chime.” 

The  graveyard  at  Santa  Isabel  is  neglected  and  forlorn, 
and  yet  wears  many  evidences  of  the  loving  thoughtfulness 
of  the  loved  ones  who  remain  behind. 

CHAPEL  OF  MESA  GRANDE 

Eleven  miles  or  so  from  Santa  Isabel,  up  a steep  road,  is 
the  Indian  village  of  Mesa  Grande.  The  rancheria  (as 
the  old  Spaniards  would  call  it)  occupies  a narrow  valley 
and  sweep  of  barren  hillside.  On  a level  space  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountain  the  little  church  is  built.  Santo  Domingo 
is  the  patron  saint. 

A recent  visitor  thus  describes  it: 

“The  church  was  built  like  that  of  Santa  Isabel,  of  green 
boughs,  and  the  chancel  was  decorated  with  muslin  draperies 
and  ornaments  of  paper  and  ribbon,  in  whose  preparation  a faith- 


282  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


ful  Indian  woman  had  spent  the  greater  part  of  five  days.  The 
altar  was  furnished  with  drawn-work  cloths,  and  in  a niche  above 
it  was  a plaster  image  of  Santo  Domingo,  one  hand  holding  a 
book,  the  other  outstretched  in  benediction.  Upon  the  out- 
stretched hand  a rosary  had  been  hung  with  appropriate  effect. 
Some  mystic  letters  appeared  in  the  muslin  that  draped  the  ceil- 
ing, which,  being  interpreted,  proved  to  be  the  initials  of  the 
solitary  member  of  the  altar  guild,  and  of  such  of  her  family  as 
she  was  pleased  to  commemorate.” 

CHAPEL  OF  SAN  BERNARDINO 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  one  of  the  early  methods 
of  reaching  California  was  inland.  Travellers  came  from 
Mexico,  by  way  of  Sonora,  then  crossed  the  Colorado  River 
and  reached  San  Gabriel  and  Monterey  in  the  north,  over 
practically  the  same  route  as  that  followed  to-day  by  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railway,  viz.,  crossing  the  river  at  Yuma, 
over  the  Colorado  desert,  by  way  of  the  San  Gorgonio 
Pass,  and  through  the  San  Bernardino  and  San  Gabriel 
valleys.  It  was  in  1774  that  Captain  Juan  Bautista  de 
Anza  of  the  presidio  of  Tubac  in  Arizona,  was  detailed  by 
the  Viceroy  of  New  Spain  to  open  this  road.  He  made 
quite  an  expedition  of  it,  — 240  men,  women,  and  Indian 
scouts,  and  1050  animals.  They  named  the  San  Gorgonio 
Pass  the  Puerto  de  San  Carlos,  and  the  San  Bernardino 
Valley  the  Valle  de  San  Jose.  Cucamonga  they  called  the 
Arroyo  de  los  Osos  (Bear  Ravine  or  Gulch). 

As  this  road  became  frequented  San  Gabriel  was  the 
first  stopping  place  where  supplies  could  be  obtained  after 
crossing  the  desert.  This  was  soon  found  to  be  too  far 
away,  and  for  years  it  was  desired  that  a station  nearer 
to  the  desert  be  established,  but  not  until  1810  was  the 
decisive  step  taken.  Then  Padre  Dumetz  of  San  Gabriel, 
with  a band  of  soldiers  and  Indian  neophytes,  set  out,  early 
in  May,  to  find  a location  and  establish  such  a station. 
They  found  a populous  Indian  rancherfa,  in  a region  well 


THE  MISSION  CHAPELS 


283 


watered  and  luxuriant,  and  which  bore  a name  significant 
of  its  desirability.  The  valley  was  Guachama,  44  the  place 
of  abundance  of  food  and  water,”  and  the  Indians  had  the 
same  name.  A station  was  established  near  the  place  now 
known  as  Bunker  Hill,  between  Urbita  Springs  and  Col- 
ton, and  a 44  Capilla  ” built,  dedicated  to  San  Bernardino, 
because  it  was  on  May  20,  San  Bernardino’s  feast-day, 
that  Padre  Dumetz  entered  the  valley.  The  trustworthi- 
ness of  the  Indians  will  be  understood  when  it  is  recalled 
that  this  chapel,  station,  and  the  large  quantity  of  supplies 
were  left  in  their  charge,  under  the  command  of  one  of 
their  number  named  Hipolito.  Soon  the  station  became 
known,  after  this  Indian,  as  Politana. 

For  two  years  prosperity  smiled  upon  Politana.  The 
padres  from  San  Gabriel  visited  it  often,  grain  was  planted 
and  good  harvests  reaped.  Then  came  the  sad  year  of  the 
earthquakes,  44  el  ano  de  los  temblores.”  The  hot  springs 
increased  their  temperature  to  such  a degree  that  the  In- 
dians became  alarmed;  and  the  bursting  out  of  a new  hot 
mud  spring  near  Politana  did  not  serve  to  quiet  them.  The 
padres  bade  them  cover  up  the  spring  with  earth,  but  of 
no  avail.  The  44  temblores  ” increased  in  power,  the  In- 
dians’ fears  increased,  their  superstitions  became  more  and 
more  aroused,  and  the  soil  of  their  minds  was  quickly  pre- 
pared for  the  seed  that  was  soon  to  be  sown  there.  It  can 
readily  be  understood  that  the  old  Shamans  (medicine  men, 
or  native  priests),  of  the  Indians,  had  not  viewed  the  de- 
struction of  their  power  by  the  padres  with  equanimity. 
No  man  likes  to  feel  his  vocation  taken  from  him  by  an- 
other, especially  when  that  vocation  is  productive  of  wealth, 
influence,  and  power.  To  be  discredited  and  reduced  to 
poverty  is  enough  to  arouse  in  a civilized  man  a desire  for 
revenge.  And  thus  it  worked  with  the  Indians.  Now, 
therefore,  was  their  opportunity.  Secretly  they  began  to 
work  upon  the  newly  aroused  superstitious  fears  of  their 
fellows.  These  44  temblores  ” were  manifestations  of  the 


284  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


dreadful  anger  of  their  gods,  44  Those  Above  ” and  44  Those 
Below,”  because  they  had  forsaken  44  the  ways  of  the  old,” 
and  had  been  led  away  into  new  and  false  paths  by  the 
44  long  gowns.”  These  were  only  the  beginnings,  44  Those 
Above  and  Below  ” had  spoken  to  their  earthly  represen- 
tatives ; more  evils  were  to  come,  — unless  ! Fear  was  now 
left  to  work  and  ferment  awhile.  Then  the  44  unless  ” was 
explained,  — 44  unless  the  long  gowns  and  all  renegade 
Indians  were  slain,  stamped  out,  exterminated  root  and 
branch,  and  the  accursed  buildings  erected  for  the  more 
accursed  worship  were  totally  and  completely  destroyed. 
A few  more  44  temblores  ” helped  along  the  desire  for 
vengeance,  and  at  length,  led  by  their  medicine  men, 
the  now  altogether  aroused  savages  destroyed  the  build- 
ings and  slew  most  of  the  christianized  Indians  and  later 
converts. 

The  destruction  of  Politana  in  1810  was  a source  of 
great  distress  to  the  padres  at  San  Gabriel,  and  they  longed 
to  rebuild.  But  the  success  of  the  attack  of  the  uncon- 
verted Indians  had  reawakened  the  never  long  dormant 
predatory  instincts  of  the  desert  Indians,  and,  for  several 
years,  these  made  frequent  incursions  into  the  valley,  kill- 
ing not  only  the  whites,  but  such  Indians  as  seemed  to 
prefer  the  new  faith  to  that  of  the  old.  But  in  1819  the 
Guachamas  sent  a delegation  to  San  Gabriel,  requesting 
the  padres  to  come  again,  rebuild  the  Mission  chapel,  and 
re-establish  the  supply  station,  and  giving  assurances  of 
protection  and  good  behavior.  The  padres  gladly  acceded 
to  the  requests  made,  and  in  1820  solemn  chants  and 
earnest  exhortations  again  resounded  in  the  ears  of  the 
Guachamas  in  a new  and  larger  building  of  adobe,  erected 
some  eight  miles  from  Politana.  The  Indians  soon  settled 
around  it,  a resident  priest  was  appointed  from  San 
Gabriel,  a vineyard  and  olive  orchard  were  planted, 
grain  was  extensively  sown,  herds  of  sheep  and  oxen  cov- 
ered the  neighboring  plains  and  foothills,  a zanja  was 


THE  MISSION  CHAPELS 


285 


built  for  conveying  water  for  irrigation  and  domestic  pur- 
poses, and  an  active  and  busy  community  was  soon  in  full 
operation. 

For  eleven  years  this  peaceful  life  continued;  and  then, 
in  1831,  the  desert  Indians  made  another  raid,  destroying 
the  buildings  and  running  off  most  of  the  stock.  Fortu- 
nately no  human  lives  were  lost.  And,’  as  was  their  wont, 
they  resolutely  set  to  work  to  rebuild,  this  time  making 
the  chapel  and  residence  buildings  stronger  than  ever.  A 
foundation  of  cobblestones  was  put  in,  and  walls  of  adobe 
three  feet  thick  crowned  it  to  a height  of  20  feet.  The 
structure  was  some  250  feet  in  length,  and  125  feet  in 
width,  and  a corral  added  which  extended  nearly  100  feet 
beyond  the  main  building. 

Scarcely  had  these  new  buildings  become  accustomed  to 
their  occupants  when  the  long-dreaded  order  of  seculari- 
zation was  promulgated.  Juan  Bandini  was  appointed 
to  see  that  San  Gabriel  and  all  its  dependencies  were  dis- 
posed of,  according  to  the  decree.  This  was  in  1838-40. 
But  as  early  as  October,  1834  (one  year  after  the  order 
was  issued),  a band  of  Paiutis  from  over  the  Sierras,  who 
had  been  forced  by  famine  to  seek  a new  home  for  them- 
selves, attacked  the  chapel  of  San  Bernardino.  The  neo- 
phytes, led  by  a Christian  Indian  chief,  named  Perfecto, 
defended  themselves  and  their  property  with  bravery  and 
courage.  The  invaders  were  repulsed  again  and  again ; 
many  lives  were  lost  on  both  sides ; and  when,  at  last, 
further  resistance  seemed  hopeless,  a sortie  was  made  to 
cause  a diversion,  while  Perfecto  gathered  together  all  the 
church  vessels,  vestments,  and  other  valuable  church  prop- 
erty in  three  carretas,  and  started  to  San  Gabriel.  When 
the  Paiutis  discovered  the  ruse  they  were  infuriated,  and 
started  in  pursuit,  but  at  Cucamonga  were  defeated,  and, 
consoling  themselves  with  such  stock  as  they  had  collected, 
they  beat  a retreat  into  the  mountains. 

In  December  of  the  same  year  another  attack  was  made ; 


286  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


but  this  time  it  was  by  two  hundred  native  Indians,  led  by 
two  war-chiefs  who  had  once  been  neophytes  at  San  Gabriel, 
but  who  felt  they  had  real  or  fancied  insults  to  avenge. 
As  they  marched  to  San  Gabriel  they  stopped  to  anticipate 
their  vengeance  by  destroying  San  Bernardino  Chapel. 
The  priest  in  charge,  Padre  Tomas  Ellutario  Estenaga, 
defended  as  well  as  he  was  able  with  his  small  band  of  neo- 
phytes, but  the  knowledge  the  attacking  party  had  of  the 
interior  of  the  buildings  and  all  their  modes  of  defence 
materially  nullified  their  efforts,  and  before  long  resistance 
was  seen  to  be  vain.  The  buildings  were  completely  sacked 
and  then  set  on  fire.  Padre  Estenaga  was  captured  and 
carried  away  to  the  mountains,  where  he  undoubtedly 
would  have  been  slain  had  it  not  been  for  the  fear  his  cap- 
tors  entertained  of  him.  They  regarded  him  as  a powerful 
medicine  man,  capable  of  working  66  strong  medicine  99  to 
their  undoing  if  they  injured  him,  so  he  was  finally  released 
uninjured. 

But  never  again  was  San  Bernardino  Chapel  to  resound 
to  the  sacred  hymns  and  words  of  priests  and  dusky  neo- 
phytes. Its  work  was  accomplished.  Now  vandalism 
stepped  in  to  finish  with  ruthless  havoc  the  destruction  the 
hatred  of  hostile  Indians  had  begun.  Many  of  the  timbers 
used  in  the  roof  had  been  hewn  in  the  mountains.  These 
caught  the  eye  of  certain  citizens  of  Los  Angeles.  Car- 
retas  were  sent,  and  eleven  loads  were  removed  to  be  used 
in  the  construction  of  buildings  in  the  newer  city.  Later 
on  restitution  was  demanded  of  these  respectable  (?)  van- 
dals, and  they  paid  three  dollars  per  vara  for  the  timber 
they  had  thus  stolen.  The  adobes  they  took,  however,  were 
never  accounted  for.  The  bill  for  them  is  still  outstand- 
ing; waiting  for  its  final  settlement  when  the  Judge  of  all 
men  shall  ask  of  each  an  accounting  for  all  the  deeds  done 
in  the  flesh. 

There  are  a few  ruined  walls  still  standing  of  Bernar- 
dino at  this  time,  but  adobe  rapidly  disappears,  and  it  will 


THE  MISSION  CHAPELS 


287 


not  be  long  before  no  smallest  remnant  will  remain  of  this 
once  prosperous  and  useful  asistencia  of  the  Mission  of 
San  Gabriel. 

CHAPEL  OF  SANTA  MARGARITA  (SAN  LUIS  OBISPO) 

One  of  the  ranchos  of  San  Luis  Obispo  was  that  of 
Santa  Margarita  on  the  north  side  of  the  Sierra  Santa 
Lucia.  As  far  as  I know  there  is  no  record  of  the  date 
when  the  chapel  was  built,  yet  it  is  a most  interesting  and 
important  structure,  even  in  its  present  utterly  ruined  and 
dilapidated  condition.  It  is  almost  frontless,  altogether 
roofless,  and  its  interior  has  been  wilfully  destroyed  within 
the  last  few  years.  And  the  work  of  destruction  is  now 
(May,  1904)  going  on,  in  order  that  it  may  be  re-roofed 
and  converted  into  a hay  barn. 

Situated  on  a knoll  not  far  from  the  Santa  Margarita 
river,  a tiny  stream  which  flows  down  from  the  Sierra 
Santa  Lucia,  it  has  the  charm  of  close  proximity  to  flowing 
water  — a rarity  in  some  parts  of  California.  It  is  built 
northeast  and  southwest,  with  its  front  to  the  southwest. 
In  order  to  get  out  the  stones  of  which  the  interior  division 
walls  were  made,  and  which  have  been  deliberately  pulled 
down,  the  front  was  recently  almost  entirely  destroyed. 
So  no  picture  can  be  presented  of  its  fachada.  It  had  an 
exquisite  and  rare  outlook.  Immediately  before  the  door- 
way the  grassy  fields  led  the  eye  to  the  foothills  and  then 
the  higher  slopes  of  the  Santa  Lucia,  where  dense  forests 
seem  to  exist.  All  around  are  live  oaks,  white  and  black 
oaks,  sycamore*  and  pines  in  abundance,  and  the  flow  of 
water  could  be  utilized  for  irrigation  and  display  in  a 
fountain. 

It  originally  consisted  of  a chapel  about  40  feet  long 
and  30  feet  wide,  and  eight  rooms.  The  chapel  was  at  the 
southwest  end.  The  whole  building  is  120  feet  long  and 
20  feet  wide.  The  walls  are  about  three  feet  thick,  and 


288  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


built  of  large  pieces  of  rough  sandstone  and  red  bricks, 
all  cemented  strongly  together  with  a white  cement  that  is 
sti-1  hard  and  tenacious.  It  is  possible  there  was  no  fachada 
to  _e  chapel  at  the  southwest  end,  for  a well-built  elliptical 
arched  doorway  still  remains  on  the  southeast  side,  which, 
most  probably,  was  the  main  entrance.  If  this  be  so,  then 
doubtless  a window  existed  on  the  end,  as  the  only  other 
place  pierced  for  a window  is  to  the  left  of  this  doorway. 
Here  the  window-frame  work  still  remains.  It  is  of  singu- 
lar construction.  Outside  it  appears  to  be  square.  Inside 
it  is  seen  that  this  square  part  is  a very  thin  portion  of  the 
wall,  a kind  of  outer  shell,  the  inside  of  which  is  beautifully 
arched  and  well  built. 

All  the  windows  have  this  peculiar  characteristic. 

About  midway  in  the  remaining  part  of  the  building,  on 
each  side,  is  an  elliptical  arched  doorway,  and  at  the  ex- 
treme southeastern  corner  is  another,  thus  giving  three 
doorway  entrances  to  the  residence  portion  of  the  structure. 
From  the  ruins  of  the  partition  walls  it  is  easy  to  assume 
that  there  were  eight  rooms  of  about  equal  size,  counting 
the  halls  is  rooms.  If  this  assumption  be  correct,  then  the 
windows  rould  so  tally  as  to  give  one  window  to  a room, 
leaving  c it  those  that  had  a doorway  entrance. 

The  q lestion  now  arises : was  this  the  only  Mission  build- 
ing at  Santa  Margarita? 

No!  for  near  by  are  three  old  adobe  houses,  all  recently 
renovated  out  of  all  resemblance  to  their  original  condition, 
and  all  roofed  with  red  Mission  tiles.  These  were  built  in 
the  early  days.  The  memory  of  the  oldest  Mexican  in- 
habitants of  the  present-day  Santa  Margarita  remembers 
them  in  childhood’s  happy  years,  so  it  is  not  unreasonable 
to  assume  that  they  were  a part  of  the  Mission  buildings. 

Here,  then,  is  explanation  enough  for  the  assumption 
of  a large  Indian  population  on  this  ranch,  which  led  the 
neighboring  padres  to  establish  a chapel  for  their  Chris- 
tianization and  civilization.  Undoubtedly  in  its  aboriginal 


Plate  XLII 


MAIN  DOORWAY  AT  SANTA  MARGARITA  CHAPEL 


THE  MISSION  CHAPELS 


289 


days  there  was  a large  Indian  population,  for  there  were 
all  the  essentials  in  abundance.  Game  of  every  kind  — 
deer,  antelope,  rabbits,  squirrels,  bear,  ducks,  geese,  doves, 
and  quail  — yet  abound ; roots  of  every  edible  kind  and 
more  acorns  than  in  any  other  equal  area  in  the  State.  A 
never  failing  flow  of  mountain  water  and  innumerable 
springs,  as  well  as  a climate  at  once  warm  and  yet  bracing, 
for  here  on  the  northern  slopes  of  the  Santa  Lucia,  frost 
is  not  uncommon. 

What  more  natural,  then,  than  that  the  padres  should 
seek  a closer  contact  with  these  large  masses  of  unsaved 
souls,  and  diligently  work  to  bring  them  into  the  bosom  of 
the  Church ! 

CHAPEL  OF  SANTA  ISABEL  (SAN  MIGUEL) 

I have  elsewhere  referred  to  the  water  supply  of  Santa 
Isabel  as  being  used  for  irrigation  connected  with  San 
Miguel  Mission.  There  is  every  evidence  that  a large  ran- 
cherfa  existed  at  Santa  Isabel,  and  that  for  many  years  it 
was  one  of  the  valued  rancheros  of  the  Mission.  Below  the 
Hot  Springs  the  remains  of  a large  dam  still  exist,  which  we 
now  know  was  built  by  the  padres  for  irrigation  purposes. 
A large  tract  of  land  below  was  watered  by  it,  and  we  have 
a number  of  reports  of  the  annual  yield  of  grain,  showing 
great  fertility  and  productivity.  Near  the  present  ranch 
house  at  Santa  Isabel  are  large  adobe  ruins,  evidently  used 
as  a house  for  the  majordomo  and  for  the  padre  on  his  reg- 
ular visitations  to  the  rancheria.  One  of  the  larger  rooms 
was  doubtless  a chapel  where  mass  was  said  for  the  neo- 
phytes who  cultivated  the  soil  in  this  region. 

CHAPEL  OF  SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PALA 

The  chapel  at  Pala  is  perhaps  the  best  known  of  all  the 
asistencias  on  account  of  its  picturesque  campanile.  It 
was  built  by  the  indefatigable  Padre  Peyri,  in  1816,  and 

19 


290  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


is  about  twenty  miles  from  San  Luis  Rey,  to  which  it  be- 
longed. Within  a year  or  two,  by  means  of  a resident 
padre,  over  a thousand  converts  were  gathered,  reciting 
their  prayers  and  tilling  the  soil.  A few  buildings,  beside 
the  chapel,  were  erected,  and  the  community,  far  removed 
from  all  political  strife,  must  have  been  happy  and  con- 
tented in  its  mountain-valley  home.  The  chapel  is  a long, 
narrow  adobe  structure,  144  by  27  feet,  roofed  with  red 
tiles.  The  walls  within  were  decorated  in  the  primitive  and 
singular  fashion  found  at  others  of  the  Missions,  and  upon 
the  altar  were  several  statues  which  the  Indians  valued 
highly. 

Pala  is  made  peculiarly  interesting  as  the  present  home 
of  the  evicted  Palatingwa  (Hot  Springs)  Indians  of 
Warner’s  Ranch.  Here  these  wretchedly  treated  “ wards 
of  the  nation  ” are  now  struggling  with  the  problem  of 
life,  with  the  fact  ever  before  them,  when  they  think,  (as 
they  often  do,  for  several  of  them  called  my  attention  to 
the  fact)  that  the  former  Indian  population  of  Pala  has 
totally  disappeared.  At  the  time  of  the  secularization  of 
San  Luis  Rey,  Pala  suffered  with  the  rest;  and  when  the 
Americans  finally  took  possession  it  was  abandoned  to  the 
tender  mercies  of  the  straying,  seeking,  searching,  devour- 
ing homesteader.  In  due  time  it  was  “ homesteaded.”  The 
chapel  and  graveyard  were  ultimately  deeded  back ; and 
when  the  Landmarks  Club  took  hold  it  was  agreed  that  the 
ruins  “revert  to  their  proper  ownership.”  The  Club  then 
took  a lease  on  the  property  for  the  purpose  of  carrying 
out  its  intentions,  which  are  elsewhere  referred  to. 

Though  all  the  original  Indians  were  ousted  long  ago 
from  their  lands  at  Pala,  those  who  lived  anywhere  within 
a dozen  or  a score  miles  still  took  great  interest  in  the  old 
buildings,  the  decorations  of  the  church,  and  the  statues 
of  the  saints.  Whenever  a priest  came  and  held  services  a 
goodly  congregation  assembled,  for  a number  of  Mexicans, 
as  well  as  Indians,  live  in  the  neighborhood. 


THE  MISSION  CHAPELS 


291 


That  they  loved  the  dear  old  asistencia  was  manifested 
by  Americans,  Mexicans,  and  Indians  alike*  for  when  the 
Landmarks  Club  visited  it  in  December,  1901,  and  asked 
for  assistance  to  put  it  in  order,  help  was  immediately  vol- 
unteered to  the  extent  of  $217,  if  the  work  were  paid  for 
at  the  rate  of  $1.75  per  day. 

With  a desire  to  promote  the  good  feeling  aimed  at  in 
recent  dealings  with  the  evicted  Indians  of  Warner’s 
Ranch,  now  located  at  Pala,  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  sent 
them  a priest.  He,  however,  was  of  an  alien  race,  and  un- 
familiar with  either  the  history  of  the  chapel,  its  memories, 
or  the  feelings  of  the  Indians ; and  to  their  intense  indig- 
nation, they  found  that  without  consulting  them,  or  his 
own  superiors,  he  had  destroyed  all  the  interior  decora- 
tions by  covering  them  with  a coating  of  whitewash. 


292  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA" 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE  PRESENT  CONDITION  OF  THE  MISSION  INDIANS 

THE  disastrous  effect  of  the  order  of  secularization 
upon  the  Indians,  as  well  as  the  Missions  them- 
selves, has  been  referred  to  in  a special  chapter. 
Here  I wish  to  give,  in  brief,  a clearer  idea  of  the  present 
condition  of  the  Indians  than  was  there  possible.  In  the 
years  1833-1837  secularization  actually  was  accomplished. 
The  knowledge  that  it  was  coming  had  already  done  much 
injury.  The  Pious  Fund,  which  then  amounted  to  upwards 
of  a half-million  dollars,  was  confiscated  — they  called  it 
borrowed.”  This  practically  left  the  Indians  to  their 
own  resources.  A certain  amount  of  land  and  stock  were 
to  be  given  to  each  head  of  a family,  and  tools  were  to  be 
provided.  Owing  to  the  long  distance  between  California 
and  the  City  of  Mexico,  there  was  much  confusion  as  to 
how  the  changes  should  be  brought  about.  There  have  been 
many  charges  made,  alleging  that  the  fathers  wilfully 
allowed  the  Mission  property  to  go  to  ruin,  when  they 
were  deprived  of  its  control.  This  ruin  would  better  be 
attributed  to  the  general  demoralization  of  the  times  than 
to  any  definite  policy.  For  it  must  be  remembered  that  the 
political  conditions  of  Mexico  at  that  time  were  most  un- 
settled. None  knew  what  a day  or  an  hour  might  bring 
forth.  All  was  confusion,  uncertainty,  irresponsibility. 
And  in  the  melee  Mission  property  and  Mission  Indians 
suffered. 

What  was  to  become  of  the  Indians?  Imagine  the  father 
of  a family  — that  had  no  mother  — suddenly  snatched 
away,  and  all  the  property,  garden,  granary,  mill,  store- 


THE  PRESENT  CONDITION  293 

house,  orchards,  cattle,  placed  in  other  hands.  What  would 
the  children  do? 

So  now  the  Indians,  like  bereft  children,  knew  not  what 
to  do,  and,  naturally,  they  did  what  our  own  children  would 
do.  Led  by  want  and  hunger,  some  sought  and  found  work 
and  food,  and  others,  alas,  became  thieves.  The  Mission 
establishment  was  the  organized  institution  that  had  cared 
for  them,  and  had  provided  the  work  that  supported  them. 
No  longer  able  to  go  and  live  44  wildly  ” as  of  old,  they  were 
driven  to  evil  methods  by  necessity  unless  the  new  govern- 
ment directed  their  energies  into  right  channels.  Few  at- 
tempted to  do  this;  hence  the  results  that  were  foreseen  by 
the  padres  followed. 

July  7,  1846,  saw  the  Mexican  flag  in  California  hauled 
down,  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes  raised  in  its  place ; but 
as  far  as  the  Indian  was  concerned,  the  change  was  for 
the  worse  instead  of  the  better.  Indeed,  it  may  truthfully 
be  said  that  the  policies  of  the  three  governments,  Spanish, 
Mexican,  and  American,  have  shown  three  distinct  phases, 
and  that  the  last  is  by  far  the  worst. 

Our  treatment  of  these  Indians  reads  like  a hideous 
nightmare.  Absolutely  no  forceful  and  effective  protest 
seems  to  have  been  made  against  the  indescribable  wrongs 
perpetrated.  The  gold  discoveries  of  1849  brought  into 
the  country  a class  of  adventurers,  gamblers,  liquor  sellers, 
and  camp  followers  of  the  vilest  description.  The  Indians 
became  helpless  victims  in  the  hands  of  these  infamous 
wretches,  and  even  the  authorities  aided  to  make  these  In- 
dians 44  good.” 

Bartlett,  who  visited  the  country  in  1850  to  1853,  tells 
of  meeting  with  an  old  Indian  at  San  Luis  Rey  who  spoke 
glowingly  of  the  good  times  they  had  when  the  padres  were 
there,  but  44  now,  he  said,  they  were  scattered  about,  he 
knew  not  where,  without  a home  or  protectors,  and  were  in 
a miserable,  starving  condition.”  Of  the  San  Francisco 
Indians  he  says: 


294  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


“ They  are  a miserable,  squalid-looking  set,  squatting  or  lying 
about  the  corners  of  the  streets,  without  occupation.  They 
have  now  no  means  of  obtaining  a living,  as  their  lands  are  all 
taken  from  them ; and  the  Missions  for  which  they  labored,  and 
which  provided  after  a sort  for  many  thousands  of  them,  are 
abolished.  No  care  seems  to  be  taken  of  them  by  the  Ameri- 
cans; on  the  contrary,  the  effort  seems  to  be  to  exterminate 
them  as  soon  as  possible.” 

According  to  the  most  conservative  estimates  there  were 
over  thirty  thousand  Indians  under  the  control  of  the  Mis- 
sions at  the  time  of  secularization  in  1833.  To-day,  how 
many  are  there?  I have  spent  long  days  in  the  different 
Mission  localities,  arduously  searching  for  Indians,  but 
oftentimes  only  to  fail  of  my  purpose.  In  and  about  San 
Francisco,  there  is  not  one  to  be  found.  At  San  Carlos 
Borromeo,  in  both  Monterey  and  the  Carmelo  Valley,  except 
for  a few  half-breeds,  no  one  of  Indian  blood  can  be  dis- 
covered. It  is  the  same  at  San  Miguel,  San  Luis  Obispo, 
and  Santa  Barbara.  At  Pala,  that  romantic  chapel,  where 
once  the  visiting  priest  from  San  Luis  Rey  found  a con- 
gregation of  several  hundreds  awaiting  his  ministrations, 
the  land  was  recently  purchased  from  white  men,  by  the 
United  States  Indian  Commission,  as  a new  home  for  the 
evicted  Palatingwa  Indians  of  Warner’s  Ranch.  These 
latter  Indians,  in  recent  interviews  with  me,  have  perti- 
nently asked : 64  Where  did  the  white  men  get  this  land,  so 
they  could  sell  it  to  the  Government  for  us?  Indians  lived 
here  many  centuries  before  a white  man  had  ever  seen  the 
4 land  of  the  sundown  sea.’  When  the  4 long  gowns  ’ first 
came  here,  there  were  many  Indians  at  Pala.  Now  they 
are  all  gone.  Where?  And  how  do  we  know  that  before 
long  we  shall  not  be  driven  out,  and  be  gone,  as  they  were 
driven  out  and  are  gone?  ” 

At  San  Luis  Rey  and  San  Diego,  there  are  a few  scat- 
tered families,  but  very  few,  and  most  of  these  have  fled 
far  back  into  the  desert,  or  to  the  high  mountains,  as  far 


THE  PRESENT  CONDITION  295 

as  possible  out  of  reach  of  the  civilization  that  demoralizes 
and  exterminates  them. 

A few  scattered  remnants  are  all  that  remain. 

Let  us  seek  for  the  real  reason  why. 

The  system  of  the  padres  was  patriarchal,  paternal. 
Certain  it  is  that  the  Indians  were  largely  treated  as  if 
they  were  children.  No  one  questions  or  denies  this  state- 
ment. Few  question  that  the  Indians  were  happy  under 
this  system,  and  all  will  concede  that  they  made  wonderful 
progress  in  the  so-called  arts  of  civilization.  From  crude 
savagery  they  were  lifted  by  the  training  of  the  fathers 
into  usefulness  and  productiveness.  They  retained  their 
health,  vigor,  and  virility.  They  were,  by  necessity  per- 
haps, but  still  undeniably,  chaste,  virtuous,  temperate, 
honest,  and  reasonably  truthful.  They  were  good  fathers 
and  mothers,  obedient  sons  and  daughters,  amenable  to 
authority,  and  respectful  to  the  counsels  of  old  age. 

All  this  and  more  may  unreservedly  be  said  for  the 
Indians  while  they  were  under  the  control  of  the  fathers. 
That  there  were  occasionally  individual  cases  of  harsh 
treatment  is  possible.  The  most  loving  and  indulgent 
parents  are  now  and  again  ill-tempered,  fretful,  or  ner- 
vous. The  fathers  were  men  subject  to  all  the  limitations 
of  other  men.  Granting  these  limitations  and  making  due 
allowance  for  human  imperfection,  the  rule  of  the  fathers 
must  still  be  admired  for  its  wisdom  and  commended  for  its 
immediate  results. 

Now  comes  the  order  of  secularization,  and  a little  later 
the  domination  of  the  Americans.  Those  opposed  to  the 
control  of  the  fathers  are  to  see  the  Indians  free.  They 
are  to  be  “ removed  from  under  the  irksome  restraint  of 
cold-blooded  priests  who  have  held  them  in  bondage  not  far 
removed  f rom  slavery  ” ! ! They  are  to  have  unrestrained 
liberty,  the  broadest  and  fullest  intercourse  with  the  great 
American  people,  the  white,  Caucasian  American,  not  the 
dark-skinned  Mexican ! ! ! 


296  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


The  authority  of  the  priesthood  being  abolished,  this 
beneficent  intercourse  begins ! ! Now  see  the  rapid  elevation 
in  morals,  honor,  chastity,  integrity,  and  all  the  virtues!! 
Gaze  with  amazement  and  delight  upon  the  glorious  bless- 
ings conferred  upon  the  weak  by  the  strong  race ! ! Thank 
God,  with  uplifted  eyes  and  hand,  for  all  the  mental  and 
spiritual  graces  that  begin  to  pour  into  the  minds  and  souls 
of  those  benighted  heathen,  when  they  are  removed  from 
the  benumbing  influences  of  superstitious  and  ignorant 
Catholicism.  Yes,  indeed,  let  us  sing  paeans  of  joyous 
praises  for  the  good  that  the  aborigines  now  hold  in  free 
and  absolute  mastery. 

Ah!  hypocrites  and  vile!  How  I could  wish  for  the 
power  of  Shakspere  to  show  you  in  your  true  light.  Rich- 
ard of  Gloster  was  not  so  vile  a murderer,  so  ruthless  a 
destroyer,  so  black-hearted  a villain,  so  contemptible  a 
plotter,  so  mean  a layer  of  snares  as  the  white  race  has 
been,  whereby  to  trap,  entangle,  and  exterminate  the  dusky 
race  whose  lands  they  coveted  and  determined  to  possess. 

Had  they  been  left  in  the  hands  of  the  Mission  fathers, 
the  Indians  would  slowly  but  surely  have  progressed  to 
racial  manhood.  Given  over  to  our  own  tender  mercies, 
they  have  been  hurried  down  an  incline  smeared  by  white 
men  with  every  known  form  of  slippery  evil,  in  order  that 
their  destruction  might  be  the  more  rapid  and  complete. 
Until  we  are  able,  nationally,  to  cleanse  our  own  skirts 
from  the  blood  of  these  trustful,  weak,  helpless  aborigines, 
let  us  not  insult  the  memory  of  the  Mission  fathers  by 
asking,  parrot-like : “ For  what  end  P ” 

The  only  real  ground  for  criticism  of  the  padres,  to  my 
mind,  lies  here.  Their  care  of  the  Indians  was  too  great, 
too  fatherly.  They  treated  their  wards  too  much  like  chil- 
dren, instead  of  training  them  for  the  duties  of  citizenship. 
Hence  they  succumbed  easily  to  the  vices  of  civilization 
when  the  restraining  influences  were  removed.  I used  to 
think  this  criticism  a just  one.  It  appeared  to  me  that  the 


THE  PRESENT  CONDITION 


297 

kindness  was  a mistaken  one;  that  greater  freedom  would 
have  given  greater  responsibility,  — especially  had  more 
time  and  attention  been  given  to  teaching  them  this  re- 
sponsibility. Yet,  the  more  I think  of  it,  the  more  puerile 
the  criticism  becomes.  Peoples  are  not  civilized  in  a day. 
Even  our  own  sons  and  daughters,  with  all  our  training, 
now  and  again  succumb  to  evil  and  go  down  as  far  as  did 
these  Indians,  though  we  are  constant  and  persistent  in 
our  efforts  to  save  them. 

Another  difficulty  in  the  way  of  rapid  progress  was  the 
great  distance  from  supplies  and  the  lack  of  men.  Com- 
munication with  California  was  by  water  or  land,  and 
from  far  distant  points.  It  was  not  an  easy  journey  from 
Spain,  via  Mexico,  to  California.  The  overland  trip  from 
Mexico,  whether  by  way  of  San  Bias  and  then  up  the 
peninsula  on  horseback,  or  by  way  of  Sonora  and  the 
deserts  of  Arizona  and  California  was  not  a matter  to  be 
undertaken  lightly.  I should  much  like  to  start  out  a 
caravan  of  the  critics  of  the  padres,  over  either  route,  and 
in  a modern  air-ship  (improved  pattern)  watch  their  per- 
formances. I am  inclined  to  believe  they  would  make  a far 
worse  mess  of  it  than  the  padres  did  of  educating  and  chris- 
tianizing the  Indians.  It  required  men  — men  of  stalwart 
conviction,  men  of  courage,  daring,  and  ability  to  under- 
take the  journey,  let  alone  the  work  when  they  arrived. 
And  when  the  fact  is  recalled  that,  in  the  earlier  days,  some 
of  these  priests  were  left  alone  for  months  at  a time  at  their 
respective  stations,  can  we  wonder  that  more  than  one  of 
them  went  insane  with  the  pressure  of  it.  Solitariness  is 
often  a far  harder  burden  to  bear  than  actual  physical 
pain  or  suffering;  yet  these  devoted  men  faced  even  the 
dreaded  solitariness  rather  than  neglect  the  call,  the  voice 
they  had  heard. 

With  such  training,  therefore,  they  resented  the  inter- 
ference of  the  politicians  with  their  work.  They  saw  the 
awful  results  that  were  sure  to  come.  And  in  their  resist- 


298  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


ance  to  the  unjust  encroachments  of  unprincipled  men  we 
have  the  secret  of  most  of  the  criticism. 

I think  it  can  plainly  be  stated  that  the  whole  trouble 
arose  from  man’s  accursed  greed  for  gold.  It  is  well 
known  that  according  to  the  rule  of  St.  Francis  every 
member  of  the  order  was  pledged  to  certain  things,  one 
of  which  was  perpetual  poverty,  another  obedience.  We 
have  seen  how,  in  the  early  days,  those  priests  who  came 
to  California  sacrificed  all  that  men  ordinarily  hold  dear. 
Little  by  little  they  built  up  their  Missions  in  what  had  been 
a strange  land,  and  they  converted  the  savages  into  useful 
workers.  Personally  not  one  of  them  could  own  a dime’s 
worth  of  property  (unless,  of  course,  he  were  a perjured 
scoundrel,  and  it  is  scarcely  worth  while  to  consider  the 
prejudices  of  those  who  could  regard  any  of  the  early 
padres  as  such),  and  if  they  did  now  and  again  enjoy  the 
pleasures  of  the  table,  who  shall  cast  a first  stone  at  them 
for  that?  Their  leaders  were  wise  enough  to  see  that  when 
the  influx  of  population  came,  as  it  was  almost  inevitable 
it  should,  the  Indians  would  not  be  considered  as  having 
a first  claim,  unless  they,  as  their  guardians,  protected 
them  in  their  natural  rights,  — the  rights  of  priority  and 
nativity  on  the  soil.  Slowly  they  were  christianizing  and 
civilizing  them.  Of  very  necessity  it  was  a slow  process. 
The  English,  the  French,  the  Germans,  — aye,  and  the 
boasting  Americans,  — have  been  civilized  none  too  rap- 
idly. It  does  not  need  a very  deep  scratch  to  reveal  the 
innate  savagery  of  the  best  of  us,  and  why  should  we  expect 
these  people  to  be  civilized  with  such  great  speed. 

The  padres  knew  that  secularization  must  come  — some- 
time. They  hoped  it  would  not  come  too  soon.  In  time 
they  could  have  made  their  wards  more  independent,  better 
developed  mentally,  more  able  to  cope  with  “ the  world.” 
When  Mexico  became  the  battle-field  of  adventurers,  the 
coyote  and  vulture  politicians  began  to  assert  themselves, 
and  in  the  Missions  they  saw  a good  opportunity  for  the 


THE  PRESENT  CONDITION 


299 


exercise  of  their  peculiar  functions.  The  padres  withstood 
them,  bravely,  nobly,  constantly,  until  the  power  brought 
to  bear  was  too  great  to  be  longer  resisted.  What  were 
they  fighting  for?  Did  it  mean  personal  wealth  to  them? 
All  they  could  possibly  get  out  of  it  was  their  daily  bread, 
as  they  were  required  by  the  law  of  their  order  to  report 
constantly  to  their  superiors  as  to  the  growth  of  flocks, 
herds,  etc.,  and  what  became  of  them.  The  early  reports 
of  the  padres  were  models  of  completeness ; nothing  was 
neglected;  everything  was  accounted  for.  Who,  then,  can 
justly  accuse  them  of  selfishness  in  their  stern  resistance 
to  the  decrees  of  the  politicians.  They  could  have  done  no 
other  without  being  recreant  to  the  trust  the  helplessness 
of  the  Indians  had  imposed  upon  them.  It  was  as  if  au- 
thorities of  a hospital  or  an  orphan  asylum  battled  for  the 
preservation  of  the  institution  that  was  essential  to  the 
care-taking  of  the  helpless  sick  or  young.  Perhaps  their 
pride  in  their  organization  had  something  to  do  with  it, 
and  I,  for  one,  do  not  propose  to  find  fault  with  them  for 
that.  It  was  a good  organization  for  the  work  to  be  per- 
formed, and  it  did  its  work  well;  and  it  is  no  credit  either 
to  the  republic  of  Mexico  or,  later,  to  the  United  States  of 
America  that  more  strenuous  efforts  were  not  made  to  pre- 
serve to  the  padres  the  right  to  continue  their  fatherly 
oversight  over  the  Indians  for  a while  longer. 

An  eye-witness,  writing  of  events  in  the  early  fifties, 
thus  recounts  the  Los  Angeles  method  of  christianizing 
the  Mission  Indians: 

“ These  thousands  of  Indians  had  been  held  in  the  most  rigid 
discipline  by  the  Mission  Fathers,  and  after  their  emancipation 
by  the  Supreme  Government  of  Mexico,  had  been  reasonably 
well  governed  by  the  local  authorities,  who  found  in  them  indis- 
pensable auxiliaries  as  farmers  and  harvesters,  hewers  of  wood 
and  drawers  of  water,  and  beside  the  best  horse-breakers  and 
herders  in  the  world,  necessary  to  the  management  of  the  great 
herds  of  the  country.  These  Indians  were  Christians,  docile  even 


300  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


to  servility,  and  excellent  laborers.  Then  came  the  Americans, 
followed  soon  after  by  the  discovery  of,  and  the  wild  rush  for, 
gold,  and  the  relaxation  for  the  time  being  of  a healthy  adminis- 
tration of  the  laws.  The  ruin  of  this  once  happy  and  useful 
people  commenced.  The  cultivators  of  vineyards  began  to  pay 
their  Indian  peons  with  aguardiente,  a real  ‘ firewater.’  The 
consequence  was  that  on  receiving  their  wages  on  Saturday 
evening,  the  laborers  habitually  met  in  great  gatherings  and 
passed  the  night  in  gambling,  drunkenness,  and  debauchery. 
On  Sunday  the  streets  were  crowded  from  morning  until  night 
with  Indians,  — males  and  females  of  all  ages,  from  the  girl  of 
ten  or  twelve  to  the  old  man  and  woman  of  seventy  or  eighty. 

“By  four  o’clock  on  Sunday  afternoon,  Los  Angeles  Street, 
from  Commercial  to  Nigger  Alley,  Aliso  Street  from  Los  Angeles 
to  Alameda,  and  Nigger  Alley,  were  crowded  with  a mass  of 
drunken  Indians,  yelling  and  fighting : men  and  w omen,  boys 
and  girls  using  tooth  and  nail,  and  frequently  knives,  but  always 
in  a manner  to  strike  the  spectator  with  horror. 

“ At  sundown,  the  pompous  marshal,  with  his  Indian  special 
deputies,  who  had  been  confined  in  jail  all  day  to  keep  them 
sober,  wrould  drive  and  drag  the  combatants  to  a great  corral  in 
the  rear  of  the  Downey  Block,  where  they  slept  away  their 
intoxication.  The  following  morning  they  would  be  exposed  for 
sale,  as  slaves  for  the  week.  Los  Angeles  had  its  slave-mart  as 
well  as  New  Orleans  and  Constantinople,  — only  the  slaves  at 
Los  Angeles  were  sold  fifty-two  times  a year,  as  long  as  they 
lived,  a period  which  did  not  generally  exceed  one,  two,  or  three 
years  under  the  new  dispensation.  They  were  sold  for  a week, 
and  bought  up  by  vineyard  men  and  others  at  prices  ranging 
from  one  to  three  dollars,  one-third  of  which  was  to  be  paid  to 
the  peon  at  the  end  of  the  week,  which  debt,  due  for  well- 
performed  labor,  wras  invariably  paid  in  aguardiente,  and  the 
Indian  made  happy,  until  the  following  Monday  morning,  he 
having  passed  through  another  Saturday  night  and  Sunday’s 
saturnalia  of  debauchery  and  bestiality.  Those  thousands  of 
honest,  useful  people  were  absolutely  destroyed  in  this  way.” 

In  reference  to  these  statements  of  the  sale  of  the  Indians 
as  slaves,  it  should  be  noted  that  the  act  was  done  under 
the  cover  of  the  law.  The  Indian  was  “ fined  ” in  a certain 


THE  PRESENT  CONDITION 


301 


sum  for  his  drunkenness,  and  was  then  turned  over  to  the 
tender  mercies  of  the  employer  who  paid  the  fine.  Thus 
44  justice  ” was  perverted  to  the  vile  ends  of  the  conscience- 
less scoundrels  who  posed  as  44  officers  of  the  law.” 

To-day,  the  total  Indian  population  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia is  reported  by  the  agent  as  two  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred fifty-five.  It  is  not  increasing,  and  it  is  good  for  the 
race  that  it  is  not.  Until  the  incumbency  by  W.  A.  Jones  of 
the  Indian  Commissionership  in  Washington,  there  seems  to 
have  been  little  or  no  attempt  at  effective  protection  of  the 
Indians  against  the  land  and  other  thefts  of  the  whites. 
The  facts  are  succinctly  and  powerfully  stated  by  Helen 
Hunt  Jackson  in  her  report  to  the  government,  and  in 
her  44  Glimpses  of  California  and  the  Missions.”  The 
indictment  of  churches,  citizens,  and  the  general  govern- 
ment, for  their  crime  of  supineness  in  allowing  our  ac- 
knowledged wards  to  be  seduced,  cheated,  and  corrupted, 
should  be  read  by  every  honest  American;  even  though 
it  make  his  blood  seethe  with  indignation  and  his  nerves 
quiver  with  shame. 

Anno  Domini  1903,  the  Indians  of  Warner’s  Ranch,  by 
a decree  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court,  affirming  the 
decisions  of  the  highest  State  courts,  were  evicted  from  the 
homes  which  they  had  occupied  from  time  immemorial,  and 
which  had  been  pledged  to  them  and  their  successors  by 
General  Kearney  and  others  in  authority,  on  behalf  of  the 
United  States  government. 

At  this  time,  the  Indian  Department,  under  W.  A.  Jones, 
then  the  commissioner,  made  the  first  honest  and  practical 
attempt  to  come  to  the  rescue  of  its  wards.  A hundred 
thousand  dollars  was  appropriated  to  find  them  a new 
home,  but  some  of  this  has  been  wasted  by  the  incompetency 
of  self -constituted  advisers  and  minor  official  stupidity  and 
incapacity.  Let  it  suffice  to  say  that  to-day  these  Indians 
are  upon  land  where  they  cannot  make  a living,  unless 
large  sums  of  money  shall  be  expended  in  an  irrigation- 


802  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNL\ 


scheme  to  convey  water  to  their  lands ; they  are  44  con- 
verted ” from  a self-sustaining,  brave,  and  independent 
people  to  so  many  paupers  looking  to  the  government  for 
rations ; they  regard  every  white  man  as  a liar ; one  man 
who  has  especially  posed  as  their  friend  they  view  with  a 
hatred  approaching  a murderous  sentiment,  and,  were  they 
as  warlike  and  strong  numerically  as  the  Sioux,  the  War 
Department  would  be  confronted  with  another  Indian  war. 

In  other  villages  and  tribes  the  same  demoralization  is 
apparent. 

A short  time  ago  I had  a long,  confidential  interview 
with  Marcos,  once  a chief  of  the  Indian  village  at  Palm 
Springs.  Among  other  things,  we  discussed  the  morality 
of  the  women  of  his  people.  With  a dejection  in  which 
there  seemed  to  be  no  hope,  the  poor  fellow  stated  that  the 
burden  of  life  was  so  hard  for  his  people  that  he  had  long 
ceased  to  regard  with  anger  the  immorality  of  the  women, 
young  or  old,  married  or  single.  44  So  long  as  they  can 
get  something  to  eat  thereby,  why  should  we  care?  ” he 
sadly  asked.  44  It  is  not  easy  to  be  good  when  the  hunger 
is  in  the  stomach  and  when  one  offers  you  a dollar  to  do 
that  which  is  easy,  though  evil ! ” 

This  is  one  of  the  saddest  proofs  of  the  demoralization 
of  this  people.  When  the  leaders  have  ceased  to  care ; when 
the  struggle  has  become  so  hard  as  to  seem  to  be  hopeless, 
then,  indeed,  are  they  in  bad  case. 

To  show  the  actual  state  of  land  matters  among  the 
Indians  of  Southern  California,  I present  the  subjoined 
table  from  the  report  of  the  agent  for  the  44  Mission-Tule  ” 
Consolidated  Agency,  which  is  dated  September  25,  1908. 

This  is  the  official  report  of  an  agent  whom  not  even  his 
best  friends  acknowledge  as  being  over  fond  of  his  Indian 
charges,  or  likely  to  be  sentimental  in  his  dealings  with 
them.  What  does  this  report  state?  Of  twenty-eight 
44  reservations  99  — and  some  of  these  include  several  In- 
dian villages  — it  announces  that  the  lands  of  eight  are 


Plate  XLIII 


a.  FIGURE  OF  SAN  JOSE 


SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PADUA, 
SANTA  BARBARA 


e.  SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PADUA, 
SAN  CARLOS 


d. 


SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


THE  PRESENT  CONDITION 


SOS 


yet  44  not  patented.”  In  other  words,  that  the  Indians  are 
living  upon  them  44  on  sufferance.”  Therefore,  if  any  cit- 
izen of  the  United  States,  possessed  of  sufficient  political 
power,  so  desired,  the  lands  could  be  restored  to  the  public 
domain.  Then,  not  even  the  United  States  Supreme  Court 
could  hold  them  for  the  future  use  and  benefit  of  the 
Indians. 

On  five  of  these  reservations  the  land  is  “ desert,”  and 
in  two  cases,  44  subject  to  intense  heat  ” (it  might  be  said, 
to  150  degrees,  and  even  higher  in  the  middle  of  summer)  ; 
in  one  case  there  is  44  little  water  for  irrigation.” 

In  four  cases  it  is  46  poor  land,”  with  44  no  water,”  and  in 
another  instance  there  are  44  worthless,  dry  hills ; ” in  still 
another  the  soil  is  44  almost  worthless  for  lack  of  water!  ” 

In  one  of  the  desert  cases,  where  there  are  five  villages, 
the  government  has  supplied  44  water  in  abundance  for 
irrigation  and  domestic  use,  from  artesian  wells.”  Yet  the 
land  is  not  patented,  and  the  Indians  are  helpless,  if  evicted 
by  resolute  men. 

At  Cahuilla,  with  a population  of  one  hundred  fifty-five, 
the  report  says,  44  mountain  valley ; stock  land  and  little 
water.  Not  patented.” 

At  Santa  Isabel,  including  Volcan,  with  a population  of 
two  hundred  eighty-four,  the  reservation  of  twenty -nine 
thousand  eight  hundred  forty-four  acres  is  patented, 
but  the  report  says  it  is  44  mountainous ; stock  land ; no 
water.” 

At  San  Jacinto,  with  a population  of  one  hundred  forty- 
three,  the  two  thousand  nine  hundred  sixty  acres  are 
44  mostly  poor ; very  little  water,  and  not  patented.” 

San  Manuel,  with  thirty-eight  persons,  has  a patent  for 
six  hundred  forty  acres  of  44  worthless,  dry  hills.” 

Temecula,  with  one  hundred  eighty-one  persons,  has  had 
allotted  to  its  members  three  thousand  three  hundred  sixty 
acres,  which  area,  however,  is  44  almost  worthless  for  lack 
of  water.” 


304  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


THE  PRESENT  CONDITION 


305 


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306  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Let  us  reflect  upon  these  things ! The  poor  Indian  is 
exiled  and  expelled  from  the  lands  of  his  ancestors  to  worth- 
less hills,  sandy  desert,  grazing  lands,  mostly  poor  and 
mountainous  land,  while  our  powerful  government  stands 
by  and  professes  its  helplessness  to  prevent  the  evil.  These 
discouraging  facts  are  enough  to  make  the  just  and  good 
men  who  once  guided  the  republic  rise  from  their  graves. 
Is  there  a remnant  of  honor,  justice,  or  integrity,  left 
among  our  politicians? 

There  is  one  thing  this  government  should  have  done, 
could  have  done,  and  might  have  done,  and  it  is  to  its  dis- 
credit and  disgrace  that  it  did  not  do  it ; that  is,  when  the 
treaty  of  Guadalupe-Hidalgo  transferred  the  Indians  from 
the  domination  of  Mexico  to  that  of  the  United  States,  this 
government  “ of,  for,  and  by  ” the  people,  should  have  rec- 
ognized the  helplessness  of  its  wards  and  not  passed  a law 
of  which  they  could  not  by  any  possibility  know,  requiring 
them  to  file  on  their  lands,  but  it  should  have  appointed  a 
competent  guardian  of  their  moral  and  legal  rights  taking 
it  for  granted  that  occupancy  of  the  lands  of  their  fore - 
fathers  would  give  them  a legal  title  which  would  hold  for- 
ever against  all  comers. 

In  all  the  Spanish  occupation  of  California  it  is  doubt- 
ful whether  one  case  ever  occurred  where  an  Indian  was 
driven  off  his  land. 

In  rendering  a decision  on  the  Warner’s  Ranch  Case 
the  United  States  Supreme  Court  had  an  opportunity 
offered  it,  once  for  all  to  settle  the  status  of  all  American 
Indians.  Had  it  familiarized  itself  with  the  laws  of  Spain, 
under  which  all  Spanish  grants  were  made,  it  would  have 
found  that  the  Indian  was  always  considered  first  and  fore- 
most in  all  grants  of  lands  made.  He  must  be  protected 
in  his  right ; it  was  inalienable.  He  was  helpless,  and 
therefore  the  officers  of  the  Crown  were  made  responsible 
for  his  protection.  If  subordinate  officers  failed,  then  the 
more  urgent  the  duty  of  superior  officers.  Therefore,  even 


Plate  XLIV 


1.  THE  ARCHANGEL  RAPHAEL 


CHRIST  DISPUTING  IN  THE  TEMPLE 


THE  ARCHANGEL  GABRIEL 


c.  THE  ARCHANGEL  MICHAEL 


b. 


THE  PRESENT  CONDITION 


307 


had  a grant  been  made  of  Warner’s  Ranch  in  which  the 
grantor  purposely  left  out  the  recognition  of  the  rights  of 
the  Indians,  the  higher  Spanish  courts  would  not  have  tol- 
erated any  such  abuse  of  power.  This  was  an  axiom  of 
Spanish  rule,  shown  by  a hundred,  a thousand  precedents. 
Hence  it  should  have  been  recognized  by  the  United  States 
Supreme  Court.  It  is  good  law,  but  better,  it  is  good 
sense  and  common  justice,  and  this  is  especially  good  when 
it  protects  the  helpless  and  weak  from  the  powerful  and 
strong. 

In  our  dealings  with  the  Indians  in  our  school  sys- 
tem, we  are  making  the  mistake  of  being  in  too  great  a 
hurry.  A race  of  aborigines  is  not  raised  into  civilization 
in  a night.  It  will  be  well  if  it  is  done  in  two  or  three 
generations. 

Contrast  our  method  with  that  followed  by  the  padres. 
Is  there  any  comparison?  Yes ! to  our  shame  and  disgrace. 
The  padres  kept  fathers  and  mothers  and  children  to- 
gether, at  least  to  a reasonable  degree.  Where  there  were 
families  they  lived  — as  a rule  — in  their  own  homes  near 
the  Missions.  Thus  there  was  no  division  of  families.  On 
the  other  hand,  we  have  wilfully  and  deliberately,  though 
perhaps  without  malice  aforethought  (although  the  effect 
has  been  exactly  the  same  as  if  we  had  had  malice),  sepa- 
rated children  from  their  parents  and  sent  them  a hundred, 
several  hundred,  often  two  or  three  thousand  miles  away 
from  home,  there  to  receive  an  education  often  entirely 
inappropriate  and  incompetent  to  meet  their  needs.  And 
even  this  sending  has  not  always  been  honorably  done.  Vide 
the  U.  S.  Indian  Commissioner’s  report  for  1900.  He 
says  : 

“ These  pupils  are  gathered  from  the  cabin,  the  wickiup,  and 
the  tepee.  Partly  by  cajolery  and  partly  by  threats ; partly  by 
bribery  and  partly  by  fraud ; partly  by  persuasion  and  partly  by 
force,  they  are  induced  to  leave  their  homes  and  their  kindred 
to  enter  these  schools  and  take  upon  themselves  the  outward 


308  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


semblance  of  civilized  life.  They  are  chosen  not  on  account  of 
any  particular  merit  of  their  own,  not  by  reason  of  mental  fitness, 
but  solely  because  they  have  Indian  blood  in  their  veins.  With- 
out regard  to  their  worldly  condition  ; without  any  previous 
training  ; without  any  preparation  whatever,  they  are  transported 
to  the  schools  — sometimes  thousands  of  miles  away  — without 
the  slightest  expense  or  trouble  to  themselves  or  their  people. 

The  Indian  youth  finds  himself  at  once,  as  if  by  magic,  trans 
lated  from  a state  of  poverty  to  one  of  affluence.  He  is  well  fed 
and  clothed  and  lodged.  Books  and  all  the  accessories  of  learn- 
ing are  given  him  and  teachers  provided  to  instruct  him.  He  is 
educated  in  the  industrial  arts  on  the  one  hand,  and  not  only  in 
the  rudiments  but  in  the  liberal  arts  on  the  other.  Beyond  the 
three  r’s  he  is  instructed  in  geography,  grammar,  and  history  ; he 
is  taught  drawing,  algebra  and  geometry,  music  and  astronomy 
and  receives  lessons  in  physiology,  botany,  and  entomology. 
Matrons  wait  on  him  while  he  is  well,  and  physicians  and  nurses 
attend  him  when  he  is  sick.  A steam  laundry  does  his  washing, 
and  the  latest  modern  appliances  do  his  cooking.  A library 
affords  him  relaxation  for  his  leisure  hours,  athletic  sports  and 
the  gymnasium  furnish  him  exercise  and  recreation,  while  music 
entertains  him  in  the  evening.  He  has  hot  and  cold  baths,  and 
steam  heat  and  electric  light,  and  all  the  modern  conveniences. 
All  the  necessities  of  life  are  given  him,  and  many  of  the  luxuries. 
All  of  this  without  money  and  without  price,  or  the  contribution 
of  a single  effort  of  his  own  or  of  his  people.  His  wants  are  all 
supplied  almost  for  the  wish.  The  child  of  the  wigwam  becomes 
a modern  Aladdin,  who  has  only  to  rub  the  government  lamp  to 
gratify  his  desires. 

Here  he  remains  until  his  education  is  finished,  when  he  is 
returned  to  his  home  — which  by  contrast  must  seem  squalid 
indeed  — to  the  parents  whom  his  education  must  make  it  diffi- 
cult to  honor,  and  left  to  make  his  way  against  the  ignorance  and 
bigotry  of  his  tribe.  Is  it  any  wonder  he  fails  ? Is  it  surprising 
if  he  lapses  into  barbarism  ? Not  having  earned  his  education, 
it  is  not  appreciated ; having  made  no  sacrifice  to  obtain  it,  it  is 
not  valued.  It  is  looked  upon  as  a right  and  not  as  a privilege  ; 
it  is  accepted  as  a favor  to  the  government  and  not  to  the  recipi- 
ent, and  the  almost  inevitable  tendency  is  to  encourage  depen- 
dency, foster  pride,  and  create  a spirit  of  arrogance  and  selfishness. 


THE  PRESENT  CONDITION 


309 


The  testimony  on  this  point  of  those  closely  connected  with 
the  Indian  employees  of  the  service  would,  it  is  believed,  be 
interesting.” 

So  there  the  matter  stands.  Nothing  of  any  great  im- 
portance was  really  done  to  help  the  Indians  except  the  con- 
ferences at  Mohonk,  N.  Y.,  until,  in  1902,  the  Sequoya 
League  was  organized,  composed  of  many  men  and  women 
of  national  prominence,  with  the  avowed  purpose  46  to  make 
better  Indians.”  In  its  first  pronunciamento  it  declared: 

“The  first  struggle  will  be  not  to  arouse  sympathy  but  to 
inform  with  slow  patience  and  long  wisdom  the  wide-spread 
sympathy  which  already  exists.  We  cannot  take  the  Indians 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  National  Government ; we  cannot  take 
the  National  Government  into  our  own  hands.  Therefore  we 
must  work  with  the  National  Government  in  any  large  plan  for 
the  betterment  of  Indian  conditions. 

“ The  League  means,  in  absolute  good  faith,  not  to  fight,  but  to 
assist  the  Indian  Bureau.  It  means  to  give  the  money  of  many 
and  the  time  and  brains  and  experience  of  more  than  a few  to 
honest  assistance  to  the  Bureau  in  doing  the  work  for  which  it 
has  never  had  either  enough  money  or  enough  disinterested  and 
expert  assistance  to  do  in  the  best  way  the  thing  it  and  every 
American  would  like  to  see  done.” 


310  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

DISTINCTIVE  FEATURES  OF  MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 

THE  broader  knowledge  we  gain  of  the  Franciscan 
Mission  structures,  the  greater  becomes  our  re- 
spect for  their  architects  and  builders.  Their 
boldness,  originality,  and  diversity  at  once  please  and  in- 
struct us.  It  is  not  my  purpose,  in  this  chapter,  to  analyze 
all  the  varied  forms  of  the  Mission  architecture,  or  to  dis- 
cuss technically  the  successes  or  the  failures  consequent 
upon  their  use.  Purely  as  a layman,  addressing  himself 
to  those  sufficiently  interested  to  allow  one  without  techni- 
cal knowledge  to  comment  upon  details  which  give  marked 
individuality  to  these  generally  similar  structures,  I shall 
call  attention  to  some  general  features,  and  then  expatiate 
upon  the  details.  As  a rule,  the  Missions  were  built  in 
the  form  of  a hollow  square:  the  church  representing  the 
fachada,  with  the  priests’  quarters  and  the  houses  for  the 
Indians  forming  the  wings.  These  quarters  were  gener- 
ally colonnaded  or  cloistered,  with  a series  of  semicircular 
arches,  and  roofed  with  red  tiles.  (See  Plate  25  a.)  In 
the  interior  was  the  patio  or  court,  which  often  contained 
a fountain  and  a garden.  Upon  this  patio  opened  all  the 
apartments:  those  of  the  fathers  and  of  the  majordomo, 
and  the  guest-rooms,  as  well  as  the  workshops,  school- 
rooms and  storehouses. 

The  Indians’  quarters  were  generally  the  most  secluded 
parts  of  the  premises.  The  young  girls  were  separated 
rigidly  from  the  boys  and  youths ; the  first-named  being 
under  the  guardianship  of  staid  and  trustworthy  Indian 
women.  The  young  charges  were  taught  to  weave,  spin, 


Plate  XLY 


DOOR  INTO  CEMETERY,  SANTA  BARBARA  b.  SIDE  ENTRANCE  AT  SAN  BUENAVENTURA 


MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 


311 


sew,  embroider,  make  bread,  cook,  and  to  engage  generally 
in  domestic  tasks,  and  were  not  allowed  to  leave  the  “ con- 
vent ” until  they  married. 

From  Plate  31  b,  showing  the  fachada  of  the  Santa 
Barbara  Mission,  a few  details  may  be  noted.  Here  the 
engaged  columns  form  a striking  feature,  there  being  six 
of  them,  three  on  either  side  of  the  main  entrance.  The 
capital  here  used  is  the  Ionic  volute.  The  entablature  is 
somewhat  Grecian,  the  decoration  being  a variant  of  the 
Greek  fret.  The  pediment  is  simple,  with  heavy  dentals 
under  the  cornice.  A niche  containing  a statue  occupies 
the  centre. 

The  first  story  of  the  towers  is  a high,  plain,  solid  wall 
with  a simply  moulded  cornice,  composed  of  few,  but  heavy 
and  simple  members,  upon  which  rest  the  second  and  third 
stories  each  receding  about  half  the  thickness  of  the  walls 
below.  Each  story  is  furnished  with  a cornice  similar  to 
the  one  below,  and  the  two  upper  stories  are  pierced  with 
semicircular  arches  for  bells.  The  walls  of  the  second 
story  are  four  feet  three  inches  in  thickness,  and  the  lower 
walls  are  sustained  by  massive  buttresses  at  the  sides. 
Both  towers  are  surmounted  by  semicircular  domes  of 
masonry  construction  with  cement  finish,  above  which  rests 
the  lantern  surmounted  by  the  cross.  This  lantern  is  a 
marked  feature  of  Mission  construction.  It  is  seen  above 
the  domes  at  San  Buenaventura,  San  Luis  Rey,  San  Xavier 
del  Bac  (Arizona),  as  well  as  on  one  or  two  of  the  old 
churches  at  San  Antonio,  Texas. 

Another  Mission  feature  is  the  addition  to  the  pediment. 
This  consists  of  a part  of  the  main  front  wall  raised  above 
the  pediment  in  pedestal  form,  and  tapering  in  small  steps 
to  the  centre,  upon  which  rests  a large  iron  cross.  This 
was  undoubtedly  a simple  contrivance  for  effectively  sup- 
porting and  raising  the  Emblem  of  Salvation,  in  order 
thereby  more  impressively  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
Indian  beholder. 


312  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


This  illustration  also  shows  the  style  of  connecting  the 
priests’  quarters  in  the  manner  before  described.  There  is 
a colonnade  with  fourteen  semicircular  arches,  set  back 
from  the  main  fachada , and  tiled,  as  are  the  roofs  of  all 
the  buildings. 

The  careful  observer  may  note  another  distinctive 
feature  which  is  seldom  absent  from  the  Mission  domes. 
This  is  the  series  of  steps  at  each  “ comer  ” of  the  half- 
dome. Several  eminent  architects  have  told  me  that  the 
purpose  of  these  steps  is  unknown,  but  to  my  simple  lay 
mind  it  is  evident  that  they  were  placed  there  purposely 
by  the  clerical  architects  to  afford  easy  access  to  the  sur- 
mounting cross ; so  that  any  accident  to  this  sacred  sym- 
bol could  be  speedily  remedied.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  the  fathers  were  skilled  in  reading  some  phases  of  the 
Indian  mind.  They  knew  that  an  accident  to  the  Cross 
might  work  a complete  revolution  in  the  minds  of  the 
superstitious  Indians  whose  conversion  they  sought.  Hence 
common,  practical  sense  demanded  speedy  and  easy  access 
to  the  cross  in  case  such  emergency  arose. 

Entirely  different,  yet  clearly  of  the  same  school,  is  the 
Mission  San  Gabriel.  The  stone  church  elsewhere  pic- 
tured was  not  completed  until  1785.  In  this  the  striking 
feature  is  the  campanile,  from  which  that  of  the  Glen- 
wood  Hotel,  Riverside,  was  undoubtedly  modelled.  This 
construction  consists  of  a solid  wall,  pierced  at  irregular 
intervals  with  arches  built  to  correspond  to  the  size  of  the 
bells  which  were  to  be  hung  within  them.  The  bells  being 
of  varying  sizes,  there  could  be  no  regularity  in  the 
arrangement  of  the  arches,  yet  the  whole  bell-tower  is 
beautiful  in  outline  and  harmonious  in  general  effect.  On 
the  left,  the  wall  is  stepped  back  irregularly  up  to  the  centre 
bell  aperture,  each  step  capped  with  a simple  projecting 
moulded  cornice,  as  at  Santa  Barbara.  The  upper  aper- 
ture is  crowned  with  a plain  masonry  elliptical  arch,  upon 
which  rests  a wrought  iron  finial  in  the  form  of  a cross. 


MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 


313 


The  walls  of  San  Gabriel  are  supported  by  ten  buttresses 
with  pyramidal  copings.  (See  Plate  5 a.)  Projecting 
ledges  divide  the  pyramids  into  three  unequal  portions.  In 
some  of  these  buttresses  are  niches,  embellished  with  pilas- 
ters which  support  a complete  entablature.  At  the  base  of 
these  niches  is  a projecting  sill,  undoubtedly  a device  for 
the  purpose  of  giving  greater  space  or  depth  in  which  to 
place  statues.  On  the  concave  surfaces  of  these  niches 
and  the  entablatures  it  is  possible  that  the  architects  de- 
signed to  have  distemper  paintings,  as  such  decoration  is 
often  found  on  both  exterior  and  interior  walls,  although 
sometimes  it  has  been  covered  by  vandal  whitewashers.  In 
several  of  the  Missions,  the  spandrels  of  the  arches  show 
evidence  of  having  been  decorated  with  paintings,  frag- 
ments of  which  still  remain. 

Plate  37  a represents  San  Luis  Rey,  by  many  regarded 
as  the  king  of  California  Mission  structures.  In  this 
illustration  will  be  seen  one  of  the  strongest  features  of 
this  style,  and  one  that  has  had  a wide  influence  upon  our 
modern  architecture.  This  feature  consists  of  the  stepped 
and  curved  sides  of  the  pediment. 

I know  no  commonly  received  architectural  term  to 
designate  this,  yet  it  is  found  at  San  Luis  Rey,  San 
Antonio  de  Padua,  Santa  Ines,  and  at  other  places.  At 
San  Luis  Rey,  it  is  the  dominant  feature  of  the  extension 
wall  to  the  right  of  the  fachada  of  the  main  building. 

On  this  San  Luis  pediment  occurs  a lantern  which  archi- 
tects regard  as  misplaced.  Yet  the  fathers’  motive  for 
its  presence  is  clear:  that  is,  the  uplifting  of  the  Sign 
whereby  the  Indians  could  alone  find  salvation. 

In  the  fachada  at  San  Luis  there  are  three  niches  for 
statues : one  on  either  side  of  the  doorway,  and  one  in  the 
centre  of  the  pediment.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  fachada 
is  divided  into  three  unequal  portions.  The  ends  of  the 
two  outer  walls  of  the  main  building  are  faced  with  pil- 
asters which  support  the  cornice  of  the  pediment.  Below 


314  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


the  cornice  and  above  the  entablature  is  a circular  window. 
The  entablature  is  supported  by  engaged  columns,  upon 
which  rests  a heavily  moulded  cornice;  the  whole  forming  a 
pleasing  architectural  effect  about  the  doorway,  the  semi- 
circular arch  of  which  is  especially  fine. 

It  will  be  noticed  by  reference  to  Plate  31  b,  that  on 
the  towers  at  Santa  Barbara  there  is  a chamfer  at  each 
corner.  At  San  Luis  Rey  this  detail  is  different,  in  that 
the  chamfer  is  replaced  by  an  entire  flat  surface.  The 
tower  thus  becomes  an  irregular  octagon,  with  four 
greater  and  four  lesser  sides.  These  smaller  sides  answer 
the  same  decorative  purpose  as  the  chamfer  at  Santa 
Barbara.  The  same  idea  is  also  worked  out  in  the  dome, 
which  is  not  a hemisphere,  but  which  prolongs  the  exag- 
gerated chamfers  of  the  stories  below. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  the  original  design  provided 
for  a second  tower  to  be  erected  at  San  Luis  Rey,  uniform 
with  the  existing  one. 

Santa  Ines  shown  in  Plates  2 and  38  b,  presents  pleasing 
features.  Here  the  facliada  is  exceedingly  simple;  the 
bell-tower  being  a plain  wall  pierced  as  at  San  Gabriel. 
The  same  pyramidal  feature,  used  here  as  an  ornament 
for  the  four  corners,  and  the  curved  pediment  please 
the  eye,  and  satisfy  the  desire  for  strength  and  grace. 
The  rear  view,  38  b,  shows  the  massiveness  of  the  walls 
and  the  extra  reinforcement  of  them  by  means  of  the 
buttresses. 

While  simple  and  chaste,  the  two  churches  of  San  Car- 
los Borromeo  — one  in  the  ancient  town  of  Monterey, 
and  the  other  seven  miles  away  in  El  Carmelo  Valley  — 
have  a peculiar  interest  and  fascination,  since  they  were 
the  home-churches  of  the  saintly  Serra  himself.  At  the 
Valley  church  (Plate  3 b),  lovingly  called  Carmelo  by  the 
neighboring  people,  Serra  lived,  worked,  prayed,  died,  and 
was  buried.  By  Padre  Casanova  it  was  restored  some 
fifteen  years  ago,  and  the  body  of  Serra  was  sought, 


MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 


315 


identified,  and  recovered.  Here  the  egg-shaped  dome,  sur- 
mounted by  an  ornament  holding  up  the  cross,  is  the  princi- 
pal architectural  attraction,  although  the  starred  window 
of  the  fachada , under  the  semicircular  cornice,  and  the 
ornamental  doorway  are  also  striking  and  pleasing 
features. 

At  Monterey  (Plate  25  b)  the  fachada  and  tower  are  of 
entirely  different  character,  although  superficial  observers 
remark  upon  the  similarity  of  these  features  to  those  of 
the  Valley  church.  The  tiled  pyramidal  covering  of  the 
tower  is  especially  pleasing,  as  is  seen  in  Plate  8 a.  At  the 
four  corners  of  the  tower  stand  simple  but  effective  finial 
ornaments,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  front  is  a similar  orna- 
ment, elevated  upon  a sloping  base  or  pedestal. 

This  pyramidal  tiled  tower  is  a useful  and  structural 
device.  It  is  perfectly  adapted  to  its  two  purposes,  viz., 
the  uplifting  of  the  bells  and  the  cross : the  former  that,  as 
the  sound  peals  forth,  it  may  reach  further,  and  the  latter 
that  it  may  be  seen  at  a long  distance  and  also  that  it  may 
surmount,  crown,  and  dominate  every  other  object  of  the 
building. 

Even  after  this  cursory  survey,  one  cannot  fail  to 
observe  the  differences  in  fachadas,  pediments,  campaniles 
(bell-towers),  columns,  buttresses,  door  and  window  arches, 
etc.,  presented  by  Mission  architecture.  Some  of  these  we 
shall  now  consider  in  detail. 

1.  Fachadas.  Opinion  is  divided  as  to  which  is  the  most 
striking,  pleasing,  and  architecturally  correct  of  the  Mis- 
sion fachadas.  Perhaps  that  of  Santa  Barbara  (Plate 
31  b)  would  receive  the  largest  number  of  votes,  were  the 
question  to  be  decided  by  such  a test.  Those  whose  tastes 
incline  toward  the  more  ornate  Spanish  styles,  would  choose 
between  the  two  San  Carlos  buildings  at  Monterey.  It 
will  be  easily  conceded  that  in  elaborateness  of  design  the 
Monterey  fachada  leads  all  others.  But  elaborateness  is 
not  always  the  most  pleasing  quality,  nor  yet  is  it  always 


316  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


united  with  perfection.  The  simple  dignity  of  the  Car- 
melo  fachada,  the  doorway,  the  central  star-window,  with 
the  severely  plain  gable,  broken  only  by  the  impressive 
sweep  of  the  semicircular  arch,  make  a pleasing  combina- 
tion which  is  worthy  of  study. 

That  of  San  Luis  Rey  (Plate  37  a)  is,  perhaps,  the  most 
distinctive  of  them  all.  It  contains  all  those  features  which 
are  recognized  as  typically  “ Mission  99 : such  as  the  curved 
and  stepped  pediment,  the  lantern  crowning  the  same,  and 
the  two-storied,  pierced  bell- tower,  with  chamfered  corners 
and  lantern  crown. 

The  fachada  of  San  Francisco  de  Asis  (Dolores),  which 
is  presented  in  Plate  7 a,  differs  widely  from  any  of  the 
others.  It  has  two  stories,  resting  upon  a solid,  project- 
ing double  foundation,  the  front  of  which  is  cemented. 
The  lower  story  consists  of  four  columns,  two  on  either 
side  of  the  doorway,  the  arch  of  which  is  supported 
by  simple  right-angled  stone  doorposts,  crowned  with  a 
half-round  cornice.  The  base  consists  of  a double  plinth 
and  a narrow  fillet  or  cushion,  upon  which  the  plain  shaft 
rests.  Its  cap  is  simple,  being  composed  of  two  enlarged 
sections  of  the  shaft,  divided  by  a fillet,  and  topped  with  a 
plain  abacus. 

A double  membered  cornice  now  stretches  across  the 
whole  building  and  becomes  the  base  for  the  upper  portion 
of  the  fachada;  thus  forming  a kind  of  rude  entablature. 
Resting  upon  this  cornice,  yet  retired  somewhat  behind 
the  lower  columns,  are  six  engaged  columns ; the  two  outer 
ones  being  but  three  or  four  feet  high,  the  second  pair 
somewhat  higher,  and  the  inner  pair  from  six  to  eight 
feet  in  height.  In  the  central  space  between  the  two  highest 
columns,  the  wall  is  pierced  by  a rectangular  void;  room 
being  thus  afforded  for  a small  bell.  In  the  two  next  outer 
spaces,  similar  piercings  occur,  the  tops  of  which  are 
arched,  and  in  these  hang  two  larger  bells.  Each  bell  has 
a wooden  carriage  to  which  it  is  fastened  with  rawhide 


Plate  XLYI 


DOORWAY  AT  SAN  ANTONIO  DE  PADUA  AUXILIARY  ARCH,  SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 


317 


thongs,  the  latter  giving  an  excellent  example  of  the 
toughness  and  durability  of  this  material.  % 

The  use  of  rawhide  instead  of  nails  for  the  fastening 
together  of  building  timbers,  as  well  as  for  swinging  bells, 
was  often  resorted  to  by  the  Mission  builders.  At  San 
Fernando,  San  Antonio,  San  Miguel,  San  Jose  and  San 
Francisco,  beams  and  rafters  are  thus  fastened. 

The  remaining  vestiges  of  the  San  Diego  fachada  (Plate 
3 a),  are  similar  in  style  to  the  central  part  of  that  of  San 
Luis  Rey  (Plate  37  a),  although  it  is  less  elaborate  than 
its  near  northern  and  later-built  neighbor. 

San  Gabriel  is  peculiar  in  construction,  as  it  has  no 
fachada ; the  side  of  the  church,  with  its  buttresses  and 
stairway  into  the  choir  gallery  forming  the  main  front. 
Attached  to  this,  at  the  left,  stands  the  campanile  (Plate 
5 a),  without  which  the  entire  structure  would  be  dull  and 
ineffective.  Of  a similar  character,  and  yet  quite  different 
in  detail  is  the  fachada  of  Santa  Ines  (see  Plate  2).  Here 
the  end  of  the  church,  with  the  addition  of  the  campanile , 
serves  as  the  fachada;  since  the  wall  at  the  right  contain- 
ing the  bells  is  a solitary  wall,  as  can  be  seen  from  an 
examination  of  Plate  38  b.  It  is  the  campanile , in  each 
case  attached  to  the  church  wall,  which  gives  dignity  and 
character  to  the  fachada  at  San  Gabriel  and  Santa  Ines. 

San  Luis  Obispo  (Plate  5 b),  San  Juan  Bautista  (Plate 
34  a),  and  San  Miguel  (Plate  36  a),  make  no  pretence  to 
imposing  fachadas.  The  chief  entrance  is  at  the  end  of  the 
main  church  building.  Somewhat  more  elaborate,  and 
made  imposing  with  its  massive  tower  at  the  right,  and 
large  hipped  buttress  at  the  left,  is  the  fachada  of  San 
Buenaventura  (Plate  7 b).  Here,  too,  the  arched  and 
corniced  doorway,  with  the  simple  pilasters,  and  the  tri- 
angular entablature  pierced  by  a square  window  aperture 
and  a bracketed  niche  for  a statue,  break  the  monotony 
felt  in  the  three  previously  named  structures. 

Santa  Cruz  much  resembled  San  Buenaventura,  as  a 


318  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


glance  at  Plate  31  a will  show,  although  it  will  be  noted 
that  there  are  but  two  buttresses ; that  there  is  no  tri- 
angular entablature;  and  that  the  tower  recedes,  instead 
of  projecting  along  the  right  wall  as  at  San  Buenaventura. 

San  Rafael  had  a side  entrance  at  one  end  of  the  church 
building  with  twin  star-windows,  one  above  the  other. 

Most  interesting  and  unique,  perhaps,  in  this  respect, 
is  San  Antonio  de  Padua,  imperfectly  shown  in  Plate  38  a. 
Here  the  fachada  is  built  some  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  advance 
of  the  front  end  of  the  church.  Then,  the  intervening 
space  is  arched  over  to  form  a closed  entrance.  This 
fachada  is  of  burnt  brick,  although  the  church  is  of  adobe, 
and,  while  the  latter  is  in  sad  ruins,  the  former  is  almost 
as  perfect  as  when  built.  At  the  bottom  are  three  arched 
entrances : all  being  semicircular,  and  the  largest  in  the 
centre.  The  pediment  is  of  the  Mission  order,  and  will  be 
later  described.  Above  the  entrances  are  three  piercings 
for  bells;  the  lateral  ones  contained  in  tower-like  exten- 
sions, which  were  formerly  surmounted  by  crosses.  The 
monotony  of  the  plain  brick-work  is  destroyed  by  a series 
of  dividing  cornices,  one  of  which  reaches  across  from  the 
bases  of  the  entrance  arches.  The  next  higher  cornice 
stretches  unbrokenly  across  from  the  bases  of  the  two  side 
bell-towers,  followed  by  a third,  which  extends  from  the 
bases  of  the  arches  of  the  side  towers,  forming  a base  for 
the  central  bell  piercing.  There  is  still  a fourth  cornice 
above  this  upper  bell  arch,  and  all  the  three  bell  spaces 
are  likewise  divided  by  simple  cornices.  The  result  is  a 
most  pleasing  whole. 

2.  Pediments.  At  first  one  might  believe  that  little  or 
no  diversity  could  occur  in  the  Mission  pediments,  yet 
important  variations  may  be  observed.  If  we  take  that  of 
San  Luis  Rey  as  the  t}^pical  curved  and  stepped  pediment, 
we  shall  find  that  it  stands  absolutely  alone.  Let  us  ana- 
lyze it.  Beginning  at  the  lantern,  we  find  that  this  detail 
rests  upon  a flat  top,  making  a sharp  downward  curve  to 


MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 


319 


the  perpendicular  and  resting  on  a narrow  horizontal  plat- 
form; then,  a concave  and  convex  curve  reaches  another 
horizontal  platform,  followed  by  a final  concave  and  con- 
vex curve  to  the  supporting  cornice. 

Now  compare  this  with  five  other  existing  pediments. 
That  of  San  Gabriel  has  already  been  described.  It  is 
the  pediment  of  the  campanile  (Plate  5 a).  That  of 
San  Carlos  at  Monterey  shows  a long,  sweeping,  convex 
curve,  with  a flat  termination  at  the  bottom,  and  scrolls  at 
the  top  connecting  with  a slight  arch.  It  can  scarcely  be 
placed  in  the  same  class. 

The  pediment  of  San  Diego  (Plate  3 a)  is  in  ruined  con- 
dition, showing  merely  the  double  (concave  and  convex) 
curve;  while  that  of  Santa  Ines  (Plate  2)  is  a pediment  to 
the  campanile.  Here  we  find  a succession  of  convex  curves  ; 
three  in  the  series  dropping  down  from  the  central  arch 
on  which  the  cross  rests,  make  the  pediment.  The  pediment 
of  San  Antonio  (Plate  38  a)  is  again  different.  The 
bricks  of  the  crown  are  stepped,  there  being  eight  or  nine 
layers.  Then  follows  a double  brick  cornice,  the  edges 
of  the  brick  being  moulded  to  the  half-round.  Next  is  a 
concave  curve,  a perpendicular  step,  resting  on  a flat 
platform,  followed  by  two  more  concave  curves  of  unequal 
length. 

Here,  then,  we  have  the  proof  that  of  six  Mission 
pediments  no  two  are  alike. 

3.  Campaniles.  The  bell-towers  show  almost  equal  di- 
versity. There  are  eleven  Missions  which  had  (or  have) 
distinct  bell-towers,  not  including  the  quaint  one  at  the 
Pala  Asistencia.  The  points  of  similarity  between  San 
Gabriel  and  Santa  Ines  have  been  already  indicated,  and 
the  uniqueness  of  that  of  San  Antonio  has  been  discussed. 
San  Luis  Obispo  formerly  had  three  pierced  apertures 
in  the  main  wall  of  the  church  above  the  doorway,  shown  in 
Plate  5 b ; but  when  the  restoration  took  place,  this  inter- 
esting feature  was  abolished  by  blocking  up  the  apertures 


320  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


and  building  an  ugly,  inharmonious,  detached  wooden 
tower.  The  same  style  of  aperture  characterizing  San 
Luis,  it  will  be  remembered,  is  that  which  obtains  at  Dolores 
(San  Francisco). 

San  Juan  Capistrano  has  a unique  campanile , since  it 
is  composed  of  a wall  joining  two  buildings,  and  pierced 
with  four  apertures,  as  shown  in  Plate  30  a. 

Of  bell-towers  proper,  there  are  six;  the  best  known 
being  those  of  Santa  Barbara  and  San  Luis  Rey.  Between 
these  two  there  are  only  slight  differences,  which  already 
have  been  indicated.  The  bell-tower  of  San  Buenaventura 
(Plate  7 b)  is  very  similar  except  that  it  shows  no  cham- 
fers, and  that  the  corner  finials  are  different.  The  tower 
of  Santa  Cruz  has  disappeared,  but  it  belonged  practically 
to  the  same  class. 

Entirely  dissimilar,  and  also  different  from  each  other, 
are  the  towers  of  the  two  Missions  at  Monterey.  The 
Mission  in  the  Carmelo  Valley,  with  the  egg-shaped 
dome,  and  the  Mission  at  Monterey  with  the  pyramidal 
red-tiled  roof,  are  well  pictured  in  Plates  3 b and  25  b, 
although  Plate  8 a accentuates  the  charm  of  the  latter 
structure. 

The  Pala  campanile  (Plate  41  b)  is  unique,  not  only  in 
California,  but  in  the  world.  Built  upon  a pyramidal  base, 
it  is  a peculiar  pedimental  structure  standing  alone.  It 
is  two  stories  high,  each  story  being  pierced  with  a bell 
aperture.  There  are  two  pediment  curves,  and  three  cor- 
nices which  break  the  monotony  of  its  face.  It  was  un- 
doubtedly built  by  the  same  hands  that  fashioned  San  Luis 
Rey. 

4.  Columns.  Superficial  observers  have  often  condemned 
the  use  of  certain  columns  in  recent  buildings,  contending 
that  they  were  not  “ Mission  columns.”  But  here,  as  in 
every  other  branch  of  architecture,  the  Mission  builders 
enjoyed  variety.  A careful  survey  of  the  illustrations 
already  published  in  this  series  will  show  more  than  one 


MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 


321 


kind  of  column.  It  will  be  observed  that  I shall  use 
the  word  in  its  broad,  and  not  in  its  rigidly  technical 
sense. 

Of  engaged  columns  in  imitation  of  the  classical  style, 
two  marked  examples  are  found:  at  Santa  Barbara 
(Plate  31  b),  and  at  San  Luis  Rey  (Plate  9).  In  this 
illustration  it  will  be  observed  that  the  entablature  of  the 
reredos  of  the  mortuary  chapel  has  four  engaged  columns 
with  Ionic  capitals,  like  those  at  Santa  Barbara,  which 
have  been  already  described. 

This  mortuary  chapel  at  San  Luis  Rey  is  most  beautiful 
even  in  its  desolation.  Octagonal  in  form,  it  was  entered 
from  the  church;  the  doorway  occupying  one  side  of  the 
figure,  and  the  altar  the  opposite  side.  At  each  angle  is 
an  engaged  column  built  of  brick,  the  front  part  of  which 
only  is  rounded.  The  rear  part  is  rectangular  and  fits  into 
the  ordinary  brick  of  the  wall,  allowing  the  rounded  sur- 
face to  project.  As  will  be  seen  from  the  picture,  these 
columns  are  capped  with  a three-membered  cornice,  also 
of  brick ; and,  springing  from  column  to  column,  there  is  a 
series  of  arches  which  serve  to  ornament  the  sides  of  the 
octagon. 

Plate  40  shows  the  ruined  entrance  to  the  San  Luis  Rey 
garden,  in  which  there  occur  two  engaged  columns  which 
have  not  yet  lost  all  their  original  charm  and  beauty. 

Columns,  engaged  and  disengaged,  are  seen  on  the 
fachada  of  the  San  Francisco  de  Asfs  (Dolores)  Mission 
(Plate  7 a). 

The  square  piers  for  the  colonnades  of  nearly  all  the 
Missions  are  similar  to  those  pictured  in  Plate  25  a and  in 
Plate  22.  These  square  piers  are  built  of  brick  and 
plastered.  At  Santa  Barbara,  they  have  chamfered  cor- 
ners, and  occasionally,  as  in  the  colonnade  of  the  patio 
at  San  Antonio  de  Padua,  they  are  built  of  adobe;  but 
generally  burnt  bricks  were  used.  At  La  Purfsima  Con- 
cepcion, the  nineteen  remaining  pillars  are  square,  with 

21 


322  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


chamfered  and  fluted  corners ; some  of  them  being  brick* 
some  of  stone,  and  some  of  adobe,  and  all  plastered. 

The  “ gnawing  tooth  of  time  ” wears  away  ob j ects  that 
are  neglected  much  more  quickly  than  those  which  are 
cherished.  Here  destruction  proceeds  in  increasing  ratio. 
The  exposed  brick-work  of  the  piers  of  the  colonnade  at  San 
Antonio  is  rapidly  “ eroding,”  and  if  nothing  be  done  to 
arrest  the  decay,  the  masonry  will  soon  crumble  and  fall. 

5.  Pilasters.  Under  this  head  two  illustrations  must 
suffice.  Plate  66  a shows  the  side  entrance  of  San  Luis 
Rey.  Here  it  will  be  seen  that  the  supporting  column  of 
the  entablature  above  the  side  entrance  is  of  chamfered 
and  fluted  brick.  Much  of  the  Missioners’  brick  was  thus 
moulded  at  San  Luis  and  elsewhere : a point  worthy  of  note. 
As  it  is  difficult  to  make  plaster  adhere  to  adobe,  in  order 
to  obtain  an  anchorage,  the  adobe  walls,  here  and  in  other 
Mission  buildings,  were  divided  into  lozenges,  into  which 
small  pieces  of  brick  were  placed.  These  lozenges  can  be 
seen  near  the  foot  of  the  stairway  in  the  picture  and  they 
are  observable  in  many  exposed  portions  of  the  walls 
throughout  the  whole  line  of  the  Missions. 

At  the  side  entrance  to  the  church  at  San  Buenaventura, 
a perfectly  plain  pilaster  (except  for  the  cornices)  is  used, 
and  the  general  effect  is  good.  (Plate  45  b.)  This  plain 
method  was  employed  by  the  Mission  builders  in  many 
places,  for  arches,  door  and  window-frames,  etc.  The 
effect  of  this  archway  is  most  interesting,  as  showing  how 
the  Mission  fathers  brought  with  them  and  utilized  memo- 
ries of  the  old  world.  The  arch  is  Moorish-Gothic,  with 
renascence  motifs  in  the  entablature.  The  cross,  as  is  evi- 
dent, is  a modern  intrusion,  to  replace  a lost,  or  stolen 
statue. 

There  is  an  ornate  clustered  column  at  San  Carlos.  It 
is  the  entrance  to  the  chapel  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus. 
Here  is  a distinct  reminiscence  of  the  Arch  of  the  Two 
Sisters  in  the  Alhambra.  The  arch  is  Moorish-Gothic,  with 


MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 


323 


distinctive  renascence  features  in  the  columns  and  the 
entablature.  It  is,  without  question,  the  most  ornate  piece 
of  architectural  detail  found  on  the  long  line  of  the 
Missions. 

6*.  Arches.  To  treat  the  various  Mission  arches  as  the 
subject  deserves  would  require  many  more  pages  than  can 
be  afforded.  The  variety,  although  nearly  all  of  them 
are  included  within  the  limits  of  simplicity,  is  far  greater 
than  one  might  suppose. 

Of  prime  interest,  because  it  was  probably  the  first  arch 
built,  and  in  any  case,  the  principal  arch  of  the  first  Mis- 
sion established,  is  the  main  entrance  at  San  Diego.  (Plate 
18  a.)  The  austere  simplicity  of  this  arch  is  most  pleasing. 
It  is  structural  and  therefore  satisfying;  the  more  it  is 
examined,  the  more  it  grows  upon  the  observer.  The  sim- 
plicity of  the  device  by  which  it  is  made  to  stand  out  should 
be  observed.  The  bricks  of  which  it  is  built  are  brought 
forward  a few  inches  in  advance  of  the  main  wall.  Then, 
at  the  arch,  the  wall  itself  is  recessed  another  inch  or  two, 
and  arch  and  recess  are  crowned  with  a five-membered 
cornice;  the  members  being  plain  flat  brick,  and  each  row 
set  forward  an  inch  or  two  beyond  the  row  beneath. 

Plate  18  b is  interesting  as  showing  a distributing  arch 
of  adobe  at  San  Antonio.  The  arch  proper  is  of  brick,  as 
is  also  the  first  distributing  arch.  Between  the  two  are  laid 
horizontal  adobe  bricks  with  above  a second  distributing 
arch,  the  latter  of  adobe  bricks. 

In  Plate  15  is  seen  the  square,  plain  arch  in  one  of  the 
doorways  of  the  buildings  at  San  Juan  Capistrano.  Here, 
except  for  the  central  decoration  of  the  lintel,  the  whole 
frame  is  simple.  In  this  picture,  too,  it  is  interesting  to 
note  the  brick  bases  of  the  corridor  seats. 

At  the  same  Mission,  and  now  used  as  the  entrance  to 
the  chapel,  is  one  of  the  most  ornate  of  the  stone-work  door- 
ways found  in  the  Missions  of  the  Southwest.  (Plate  26  a.) 
Indeed,  the  stone-work  of  the  arches  as  a whole,  at  San 


324  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Juan,  suggest  that  this  Mission  was  the  object  of  more  care 
and  work  than  any  of  the  others.  This  fact  is  evident  from 
the  most  cursory  survey  of  Plates  26  a and  34  b.  Here  is 
cut  stone-work  done  by  master  hands ; all  the  piers  and 
arches  being  of  work  that  the  best  craftsmen  of  to-day 
would  be  proud  to  own. 

The  doorway  here  shown  is  of  gray  sandstone ; the  key- 
stone, projecting  several  inches,  being  carved  in  a con- 
ventional eight-pointed  floral  design,  from  which  a wide, 
deep  fluting  extends  either  side  down  the  jambs  and  shows 
vase-like  carving.  Above  there  is  an  entablature,  the  main 
feature  of  which  is  a two-inch  half-rounded  fillet  terminat- 
ing in  cross  lines  on  each  side.  A heavy  cornice  crowns  the 
whole. 

In  a number  of  instances  both  door  and  window  arches 
are  made  square  on  one  side  and,  owing  to  the  thickness  of 
the  walls,  they  are  recessed  and  rounded  on  the  other,  as  i?i 
Plate  46  a,  which  shows  the  doorway  to  the  church  at  San 
Antonio  de  Padua.  The  same  effect  is  produced  in  stone 
at  the  Santa  Margarita  chapel  (Plate  16),  in  which  the 
arches  of  both  doors  and  windows  are  deeply  recessed. 

But  more  striking,  beautiful,  and  structural  is  another 
doorway  at  the  same  chapel,  shown  in  Plate  42.  Here, 
the  curve  of  the  ellipse  of  the  outer  side  is  greater  than  that 
of  the  inside.  There  are  several  double  arches  at  La  Puri- 
sima,  as  are  those  at  Santa  Margarita,  but  they  are  all 
built  of  adobe.  A little  to  the  southeast  of  the  centre  of 
the  ruins  is  a beautiful  arch.  It  opens  into  a shut-in  room 
at  the  end  of  which  is  a piece  of  well  executed  brick-work 
ten  feet  in  diameter. 

Another  effect,  often  found  in  the  door  and  window 
arches,  is  pictured  in  Plate  6 a,  which  shows  the  square 
entrance  on  the  church  side  at  San  Juan  Bautista,  and  the 
pointed  and  curved  effect  within  the  recess  on  the  sacristy 
side.  With  this  curve  as  a motif , there  are  many  changes 
played  upon  it  in  Mission  door  and  window  arches.  An 


MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 


625 


arch  somewhat  similar  to  the  one  here  presented  is  seen  in 
the  window  above  the  doorway  leading  into  the  grave- 
yard at  Santa  Barbara,  although  the  arch  is  much  flatter. 

At  San  Luis  Rey,  the  curved  motif , worked  out  differ- 
ently and  without  the  point,  is  shown  in  the  arch  leading 
from  the  church  to  the  chapel  of  the  Third  Order  of  St. 
Francis,  and  pictured  in  Plate  6 b.  Here  three  convex 
curves  meet  at  a certain  central  convex  curve,  thus  adding 
another  pleasing  variation  to  those  already  noted. 

Plate  19  a presents  the  arch  and  entablature  over  the 
doorway  leading  from  the  altar  to  the  sacristy  at  San 
Carlos  Carmelo.  Here  the  elliptical  arch,  with  its  corres- 
ponding elliptical  cornice,  is  most  effective  and  strong. 
The  structural  power  of  these  simple  arches,  to  my  mind, 
contrasts  most  favorably  with  the  effect  of  the  more 
ornate  ones  in  the  Monterey  church,  one  of  which  is  shown 
in  Plate  19  b.  Here  the  direct  influence  of  the  Moorish- 
Gothic-Renascence  is  apparent.  Indeed,  no  pretence  is  made 
that  this  is  other  than  a copy  of  many  similar  doorways 
occurring  in  Spain.  The  arch,  with  the  renascence  scroll 
and  the  conventionalized  design  of  the  entablature,  of  which 
the  egg-and-dart  pattern  is  the  chief  feature,  connect  it 
closely  with  its  European  prototypes. 

It  is  interesting  here  to  note  at  the  two  Monterey 
churches,  what  is  doubtless  the  direct  influence  of  Padre 
Serra.  In  the  archways,  the  columns,  and  the  towers,  there 
is  an  attempt  at  adornment  of  the  more  ornate  character, 
which  is  not  usually  found  in  the  other  Missions.  Four 
Missions,  alone,  of  the  earlier  buildings,  are  prominent  as 
expressions  of  architectural  zeal  and  fervent  affection. 
These  are:  I.  San  Luis  Rey,  in  which  Peyri’s  dominating 
mind  revealed  itself  in  a building  which  many  consider  the 
king,  indeed,  of  all  the  Mission  structures.  It  also  re- 
vealed the  builder’s  love  and  almost  feminine  tenderness  in 
the  exquisite  quality  of  the  octagonal  chapel  dedicated  to 
the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis.  II.  San  Juan  Capistrano, 


326  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


in  its  pristine  grandeur,  surpassed,  perhaps,  all  the  others. 
Even  the  ruins  speak  eloquently  of  the  love  and  devotion 
of  its  builders.  The  stone-work  is  more  substantial  and 
structural,  and  the  ornamentation  more  artistic  and  pleas- 
ing than  we  find  them  in  any  other  building.  III.  San 
Antonio  de  Padua,  although  built  of  brick  and  adobe,  was 
a structure  reared  by  affection.  The  fachada  has  been 
already  discussed,  and  throughout  the  building,  the  lavish 
care  and  love  of  the  priestly  builder  are  evident.  By 
reason  of  the  short  lives  of  these  buildings,  such  indications 
of  affection  are  intensely  pathetic.  What  visions  of  cen- 
turies of  power  and  influence  must  have  cheered  the  faithful 
sons  of  Holy  Church  as  they  planned  the  structures  des- 
tined so  soon  to  crumble  into  ruin  through  the  neglect  of  a 
ruthless  people.  But  is  love  ever  lost?  Can  affection  ever 
be  bestowed  in  vain?  Only  in  the  assurance  that  love  is 
never  really  wasted,  can  we  find  comfort,  as  we  stand  in 
the  presence  of  these  eloquent  ruins.  IV.  The  fourth  of 
these  especially  favored  buildings  is  that  of  San  Carlos 
Carmelo.  Here  Serra’s  power  and  love  are  felt,  since  this 
building  was  the  object  of  his  adoration.  While  the  whole 
California  field,  in  the  wider  sense,  occupied  his  heart  and 
energy,  it  was  upon  Carmelo  that  he  expended  his  most 
immediate  affection.  This  was  his  home,  his  special  abid- 
ing-place; therefore  tower,  star-window,  arches,  columns, 
and  walls  evidence  his  influence. 

Santa  Barbara  and  Santa  Ines  came  later,  and  they 
rightly  belong  to  this  same  class  of  specially  favored 
builders. 

But  to  return  to  the  details.  At  San  Antonio,  there  are 
a number  of  recessed  window  arches;  the  frame  being 
square,  while  the  arch  within  is  elliptical.  One  of  these 
occurs  in  the  wall  of  the  monastery  and  affords  a view  of 
the  wooded  plain  beyond,  stretching  away  as  far  as  the 
eye  can  reach ; while,  to  the  right,  the  live-oak  clad  hills 
lead  up  to  the  deep-blue  California  sky.  We  may  here 


MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 


327 


picture  a monk  of  the  olden  days,  sitting  in  meditation  and 
transported  in  thought  to  a similar  landscape  in  far-away 
Spain.  We  can  imagine  him  thus  meditating  until  his 
whole  nature  became  saturated  with  the  nostalgia  that 
kills.  Little  by  little  his  reason  gave  way,  and  he  died 
while  alive,  as  true  a martyr  as  if  he  had  been  burned  at 
the  stake  or  pierced  by  a thousand  arrows.  Such  a picture 
may  seem  a mere  phantom  of  the  imagination,  but,  alas ! 
it  had  several  proofs  of  truthfulness  in  the  early  days  of 
the  last  century. 

Plate  26  b shows  the  use  at  San  Juan  Capistrano  of 
two  elliptical  arches  of  differing  axes  placed  side  by  side, 
in  the  front  corridor.  It  is  not  easy  to  explain  this  singu- 
larity, unless  by  assuming  that  as  the  wider  elliptical  arch 
is  the  later  one,  it  was  so  constructed,  either  because  a wider 
space  was  needed,  or  the  builder  regarded  the  variation  as 
a pleasing  one.  Individual  taste  alone  could  decide  such  a 
question. 

This  peculiar  feature  of  the  difference  in  span  of  the 
arches  occurs  at  several  of  the  Missions  and  should  be  noted, 
for,  as  yet,  I have  seen  no  rational  explanation  of  it.  The 
rooms,  too,  are  seldom  perfect  parallelograms  and  the  pil- 
lars are  often  irregular.  These  latter  imperfections  are 
less  noteworthy  than  the  differences  in  the  arches,  though 
the  same  explanation  is  generally  afforded  for  all  alike, 
viz.,  that  the  work  was  done  by  the  Indians,  who  had  no 
idea  of  regularity.  In  the  first  place  the  assumption  that 
they  were  incapable  as  to  measurements  is  entirely  gratu- 
itous and  fictitious,  as  the  perfection  of  their  work,  mathe- 
matically considered,  in  shaping  ollas,  baskets,  pottery, 
etc.,  demonstrates.  And  it  is  scarcely  to  be  assumed,  any- 
how, that  they  erected  these  arches  without  direct  super- 
vision. So  that  I am  led  to  believe,  that  possibly  these 
irregularities,  instead  of  being  attributable  to  the  Indians, 
were  owing  to  the  lack  of  care  of  the  white  artisans  who 
were  imported  to  instruct  them. 


328  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Two  other  arches  at  San  Juan  Capistrano  demand  at- 
tention. Plate  24  is  remarkable  in  that  six  arches  are 
superposed  one  upon  another  in  the  perspective.  The  one 
in  the  foreground  is  an  elliptical  arch  in  the  corridor. 
Next  follows  the  arch  in  the  wall  of  the  pteroma,1  a square 
bricked  doorway.  On  the  other  side  of  the  building  is  a 
semicircular  arch  over  the  doorway  leading  into  the 
patio.  Across  on  the  other  side  of  the  court  is  another 
elliptical  corridor-arch,  behind  which,  dimly  to  be  seen,  are 
another  elliptical  arched  doorway  and  a square  arched 
gateway. 

The  quadrangle  at  San  Juan  was  originally  surrounded 
by  corridors  with  picturesque  semicircular  and  elliptical 
arches.  At  the  northeast  corner,  where  the  pteroma  made 
a right  angle,  an  auxiliary  arch  was  introduced  with  most 
picturesque  effect.  (Plate  46  b.)  Such  an  arch  is  strongly 
structural,  as  a support  to  the  comers  of  the  two  meeting 
lines  of  arches,  and  also  to  the  roof  covering  the  pteroma. 
The  corner  pier  of  the  series  thus  becomes  the  resting-place 
of  the  bases  of  three  arches,  the  other  spandrel  of  the 
auxiliary  arch  resting  upon  a pier  built  triangularly  into 
the  wall.  I do  not  know  of  a similar  arch  in  any  other  of 
the  Mission  corridors. 

Thirty-eight  arches  still  remain  on  three  sides  of  the 
patio  at  San  Juan.  There  are  none  remaining  on  the 
western  side. 

Another  glance  at  Plate  26  b will  reveal  the  picturesque, 
although  simple  chimney  at  San  Juan.  A few  hours’  labor 
in  placing  the  brick  tiles  produced  a pleasing  feature  out 
of  a necessity  too  often  abandoned  to  extreme  ugliness. 
It  is  suggestive  in  its  possibilities  for  modern  buildings. 

In  the  same  illustration  and  in  Plate  24  the  simple  device 


1 Pteroma : the  side  or  flank,  hence,  in  modern  usage,  the  space  cov- 
ered by  the  roof  of  a portico,  and  therefore  including  the  columns  and 
intercolumniations,  although  in  general  usage  it  applies  only  to  the  pas- 
sage between  the  columns  and  the  wall  behind.  — Russell  Sturgis. 


Elate  XLVIL 


a.  WOODEN  STATUE  AT  SAN  MIGUEL  MISSION 


b.  CORBELS  AND  RAFTERS  OF  SAN  MIGUEL  MISSION 


MISSION  ARCHITECTURE 


329 


used  for  the  ornamentation  of  the  cornice  of  the  corridor 
arches  is  clearly  presented.  The  corners  of  thin  flat  brick 
tiles  are  placed  obliquely  on  the  top  of  the  wall,  then  a 
heavier  brick  is  set  over  these,  square  with  the  wall 
beneath. 

Before  concluding  this  chapter,  I must  refer  to  the  heavy 
and  massive  buttresses  found  in  nearly  all  the  Mission 
buildings.  Some  of  these  are  clearly  seen  in  Plates  3 b, 
7 b,  30  b,  32  b,  and  38  b.  Nearly  all  observers,  on  first 
seeing  them,  ask  the  reason  of  their  massiveness.  But 
when  it  is  remembered  that  San  Juan  Capistrano,  La 
Purisima,  San  Juan  Bautista  and  others  suffered  severely 
from  the  shocks  of  earthquakes  in  the  early  part  of  the 
last  century,  the  motive  for  these  tremendous  masses  be- 
comes apparent.  They  were  made  extra  large  and  heavy 
as  a precaution  against  future  disaster. 

Many  more  details  might  be  presented  with  both  inter- 
est and  profit,  but  the  ones  chosen  I regard  as  the  most 
important.  They  at  least  suggest  that,  although  the 
Mission  architects  and  builders  were  dominated  by  one 
common  style,  they  were,  by  no  means,  servile  imitators  of 
originals,  or  copyists  of  one  another. 


330  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE  INTERIOR  DECORATIONS  OF  THE  MISSIONS 

WE  cannot  to-day  determine  how  the  Franciscans 
of  the  southwest  decorated  the  interiors  of  all 
their  churches.  Some  of  these  buildings  have 
disappeared  entirely ; while  others  have  been  restored  or 
renovated  beyond  all  semblance  of  their  original  condition. 
But  enough  are  left  to  give  us  a satisfactory  idea  of  the 
labors  of  the  fathers  and  of  their  subject  Indians.  At  the 
outset,  it  must  be  confessed  that  while  the  fathers  under- 
stood well  the  principles  of  architecture  and  created  a 
natural,  spontaneous  style,  meeting  all  obstacles  of  time 
and  place  which  presented  themselves,  they  showed  little 
skill  in  matters  of  interior  decoration,  possessing  neither 
originality  in  design,  the  taste  which  would  have  enabled 
them  to  become  good  copyists,  nor  yet  the  slightest  appre- 
ciation of  color-harmony.  In  making  this  criticism,  I do 
not  overlook  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the  missionaries, 
or  the  insufficiency  of  materials  at  command.  The  priests 
were  as  much  hampered  in  this  work  as  they  were  in  that 
of  building.  But,  in  the  one  case,  they  met  with  brilliant 
success;  in  the  other  they  failed.  The  decorations  have, 
therefore,  a distinctly  pathetic  quality.  They  show  a most 
earnest  endeavor  to  beautify  what  to  those  who  wrought 
them  was  the  very  home  of  God.  Here  mystically  dwelt 
the  very  body,  blood,  and  reality  of  the  Object  of  Worship. 
Hence  the  desire  to  glorify  the  dwelling-place  of  their  God, 
and  their  own  temple.  The  great  distance  in  this  case 
between  desire  and  performance  is  what  makes  the  result 
pathetic.  Instead  of  trusting  to  themselves,  or  reverting 


Plate  XLVTU 


a.  OLD  PULPIT  AT  SAN  MIGUEL  MISSION 


b.  JUNCTION  OF  CHOIR  AND  CHURCH  ZONES  OF  DECORATION, 
SAN  MIGUEL  MISSION 


INTERIOR  DECORATION 


331 


to  first  principles,  as  they  did  in  architecture,  the  mission- 
aries endeavored  to  reproduce  from  memory  the  ornaments 
with  which  they  had  been  familiar  in  their  early  days  in 
Spain.  They  remembered  decorations  in  Catalonia,  Canta- 
bria, Mallorca,  Burgos,  Valencia,  and  sought  to  imitate 
them ; having  neither  exactitude  nor  artistic  qualities  to 
fit  them  for  their  task.  No  amount  of  kindliness  can 
soften  this  decision.  The  results  are  to  be  regretted;  for 
I am  satisfied  that,  had  the  fathers  trusted  to  themselves, 
or  sought  for  simple  nature-inspirations,  they  would  have 
given  us  decorations  as  admirable  as  their  architecture. 
What  I am  anxious  to  emphasize  in  this  criticism  is  the 
principle  involved.  Instead  of  originating  or  relying  upon 
nature,  they  copied  without  intelligence.  The  rude  brick, 
adobe,  or  rubble  work,  left  in  the  rough,  or  plastered  and 
whitewashed,  would  have  been  preferable  to  their  unmean- 
ing patches  of  color.  In  the  one,  there  would  have  been 
rugged  strength  to  admire;  in  the  other  there  exists  only 
pretence  to  condemn. 

After  this  criticism  was  written  I asked  for  the  opinion 
of  the  learned  and  courteous  Frays  Glauber  and  Zephyrin, 
the  former  the  guardian  of  Santa  Barbara  Mission,  and 
the  latter  the  Franciscan  historian.  In  reply  I received  the 
following  letter  which  so  clearly  gives  another  side  to  the 
matter  that  I am  glad  to  quote  it  entire: 

“ I do  not  think  your  criticism  from  an  artistic  view  is  too 
severe ; but  it  would  have  been  more  just  to  judge  the  decora- 
tions as  you  would  the  efforts  of  amateurs,  and  then  to  have 
made  sure  as  to  their  authors. 

“ You  assume  that  they  were  produced  by  the  Padres  them- 
selves. This  is  hardly  demonstrable.  They  probably  gave 
directions,  and  some  of  them,  in  their  efforts  to  make  things 
plain  to  the  crude  mind  of  the  Indians,  may  have  tried  their 
hands  at  work  to  which  they  were  not  trained  any  more  than 
clerical  candidates  or  university  students  are  at  the  present 
time ; but  it  is  too  much  to  assume  that  those  decorations  give 


332  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


evidence  even  of  the  taste  of  the  Fathers.  In  that  matter,  as 
in  everything  else  that  was  not  contrary  to  faith  or  morals,  they 
adapted  themselves  to  the  taste  of  their  wards,  or  very  likely, 
too,  to  the  humor  of  such  stray  “ artists  ” as  might  happen  upon 
the  coast,  or  whom  they  might  be  able  to  import.  You  must 
bear  in  mind  that  in  all  California  down  to  1854  there  were  no 
lay-brothers  accompanying  the  Fathers  to  perform  such  work  as 
is  done  by  our  lay-brothers  now,  who  can  very  well  compete 
with  the  best  of  secular  artisans.  The  church  of  St.  Boniface, 
San  Francisco,  and  the  church  of  St.  Joseph,  Los  Angeles,  are 
proof  of  this.  Hence  the  Fathers  were  left  to  their  own  wits  in 
giving  general  directions,  and  to  the  taste  of  white  “ artists,” 
and  allowed  even  Indians  to  suit  themselves.  You  will  find  this 
all  through  ancient  Texas,  New  Mexico,  and  Arizona.  The 
Indians  loved  the  gaudy,  loud,  grotesque,  and  as  it  was  the  main 
thing  for  the  Fathers  to  gain  the  Indians  in  any  lawful  way 
possible,  the  taste  of  the  latter  was  paramount. 

“ As  your  criticism  stands,  it  cannot  but  throw  a slur  upon  the 
poor  missionaries,  who  after  all  did  not  put  up  these  buildings 
and  had  them  decorated  as  they  did  for  the  benefit  of  future 
critics,  but  for  the  instruction  and  pleasure  of  the  natives.  Hav- 
ing been  an  Indian  missionary  myself,  I acted  just  so.  I have 
found  that  the  natives  would  not  appreciate  a work  of  art, 
whereas  they  prized  the  grotesque.  Well,  as  long  as  it  drew 
them  to  prize  the  supernatural  more,  what  difference  did  it 
make  to  the  missionary?  You  yourself  refer  to  the  unwise 
action  of  the  Pala  priest  in  not  considering  the  taste  and  the 
affection  of  the  Indians.” 

Another  critic  of  my  criticism  insists  that,  “ while  the 
Indians,  if  left  to  themselves,  possess  harmony  of  color 
which  seems  never  to  fail,  they  always  demand  startling 
effects  from  us.”  This,  I am  inclined  to  question.  The 
Indians’  color-sense  in  their  basketry  is  perfect,  as  also  in 
their  blankets,  and  I see  no  reason  for  the  assumption 
that  they  should  demand  of  us  what  is  manifestly  so  con- 
trary to  their  own  natural  and  normal  tastes. 

It  must,  in  justice  to  the  padres,  be  confessed  that, 
holding  the  common  notions  on  decoration,  it  is  often  harder 


INTERIOR  DECORATION 


333 


to  decorate  a house  than  it  is  to  build  it ; but  why  decorate 
at  all?  The  dull  color  of  the  natural  adobe,  or  plaster, 
would  have  at  least  been  true  art  in  its  simple  dignity  of 
architecture,  whereas  when  covered  with  unmeaning  de- 
signs in  foolish  colors  even  the  architectural  dignity  is 
detracted  from. 

I am  willing  to  allow  my  criticism  to  remain  as  I wrote 
it.  It  is  no  less  a tribute  to  the  great  hold  the  work  of  the 
padres  has  on  my  heart  that  I am  ready  frankly  to  criti- 
cise it. 

One  writer  says  that  the  colors  used  in  these  interior 
decorations  were  mostly  of  vegetable  origin  and  were  sized 
with  glue.  The  yellows  were  extracted  from  poppies,  blues 
from  nightshade,  though  the  reds  were  gained  from  stones 
picked  up  from  the  beach.  The  glue  was  manufactured  on 
the  spot  from  the  bones,  etc.,  of  the  animals  slaughtered 
for  food. 

As  examples  of  interior  decoration,  the  Missions  of  San 
Miguel  Arcangel  and  Santa  Ines  are  the  only  ones  that 
afford  opportunity  for  extended  study.  At  Santa  Clara, 
the  decorations  of  the  ceiling  were  restored  as  nearly  like 
the  original  as  possible,  but  with  modern  colors  and  work- 
manship. At  Pala  Chapel,  within  the  last  three  or  four 
months,  the  priest  judged  dead  wdiite  preferable  to  the  old 
decorations,  and,  greatly  to  the  indignation  of  the  Indians, 
whose  wishes  he  did  not  consult,  he  has  whitewashed  the 
mural  distemper  paintings  out  of  existence.  A small 
patch  remains  at  San  Juan  Bautista  merely  as  an  example ; 
while  a splashed  and  almost  obliterated  fragment  is  the 
only  survival  at  San  Carlos  Carmelo. 

At  San  Miguel,  little  has  been  done  to  disturb  the  in- 
terior, so  that  it  is  in  practically  the  same  condition  as 
it  was  left  by  the  padres  themselves.  Fr.  Zephyrin  in- 
forms me  that  these  decorations  were  done  by  one  Murros, 
a Spaniard,  whose  daughter,  Mrs.  McKee,  at  the  age  of 
over  eighty,  is  still  alive  at  Monterey.  She  told  him  that 


334  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


the  work  was  done  in  1820  or  1821.  He  copied  the  designs 
out  of  books,  she  says,  and  none  but  Indians  assisted  him 
in  the  actual  work,  though  the  padres  were  fully  consulted 
as  it  progressed. 

Plate  35  shows  the  interior  of  the  church.  As  its  ar- 
rangement is  not  unlike  many  of  the  others,  and  the  decora- 
tions, necessarily,  are  dependent  upon  the  various  functions 
performed  in  different  parts  of  the  building,  I shall  take 
the  privilege  of  describing  San  Miguel  interior  in  detail, 
with  a chief  eye,  however,  upon  the  mural  decorations. 
Five  distinct  divisions  deserve  attention.  These  are:  I.  the 
reredos  and  its  ornaments ; II.  the  ceiling ; III.  the  walls ; 
IV.  the  old  pulpit;  V.  the  ancient  confessional. 

I.  The  Reredos.  This  occupies  the  entire  western  end 
of  the  church,  reaching  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling.  (Plate 
35.)  The  altar  now  in  use  is  modern;  with  the  remainder 
just  as  it  came  from  the  hands  of  the  fathers.  The  reredos 
consists  of  three  panels ; the  central  one  containing  the 
wooden  statue  of  San  Miguel,  and  the  side  panels  showing 
other  saints.  The  San  Miguel,  representing  the  patron  of 
the  Mission,  is  a striking  statue,  about  six  feet  in  height, 
and  much  larger  than  the  side  statues.  In  his  right  hand 
he  holds  the  scales  and  in  his  left  a sword,  on  which  is  in- 
scribed a Latin  motto.  The  bracket  upon  which  he  stands 
is  the  original  one  cut  and  painted  by  the  fathers.  It  is 
rude,  heavy,  and  composed  of  simple  members : namely, 
a slightly  rounded  base  supporting  a thick  block  with 
quarter-round,  square,  and  round  moulding. 

The  statue  at  the  left  of  the  altar  is  clothed  in  the  garb 
of  the  Franciscan,  with  beard,  tonsured  head,  outstretched 
hands,  and  one  foot  upon  a skull. 

Plate  47  a shows  the  figure  to  the  right.  It  is  tonsured, 
shaven,  and  wears  the  Franciscan  garb.  The  panels  are 
divided  from  one  another  by  coupled  columns ; those  sup- 
porting the  pediment  of  the  centre  panel  standing  out 
about  two  feet  in  front  of  the  others,  and  having  two  flat 


Plate  XLIX 


OLD  CONFESSIONAL  AT  SAN  MIGUEL  L DOORWAT  LEADING  INTO  SACRISTY  AT  SANTA  INES 


INTERIOR  DECORATION 


335 


engaged  columns  at  their  back.  The  bases  of  these 
columns  are  simple,  half-rounded  mouldings,  the  shaft  is  a 
plain  cylinder,  and  the  capital  a dual  leaf,  as  if  in  rude 
imitation  of  the  Corinthian.  The  entablature  is  simple 
and  effective,  its  centre  bearing  a large  All-Seeing  Eye, 
radiating  beams  of  light.  Above  this  and  over  each  side 
panel  is  a bracket  sustaining  an  ornament  in  the  shape 
of  a chalice,  each  connected  with  the  other  across  the  whole 
face  of  the  altar  by  clusters  of  grapes  and  leaves.  These 
chalices  have  each  a cover  and  two  handles.  The  rays  issu- 
ing from  the  centre  piece  bear  evidences  of  having  afforded 
a resting-place  for  owls  and  other  night  birds  during  the 
days  when  the  Mission  was  abandoned.  Even  now,  as  I 
sit  writing,  I hear  the  cooing  of  many  doves  that  nest 
under  the  open  eaves,  through  which  feathers  come  float- 
ing into  the  sacred  edifice. 

The  pillars  are  mottled  in  imitation  of  marble,  and  the 
altar  and  mural  decorations  are  in  colors,  chief  of  which 
are  blue,  green,  red,  pink,  and  pale-green.  The  base  of  the 
panellings  is  pink. 

On  the  left,  above  the  statue,  is  an  oval  panel  painted 
with  the  two  crossed  hands  of  the  Christ,  showing  the  nail- 
holes  of  the  cross.  On  the  other  side  is  a similar  oval 
panel,  decorated  with  symbolic  figures. 

There  are  two  side  altars,  the  one  at  the  right  sacred 
to  the  Holy  Mother;  and  the  other  to  Saint  Joseph  and 
the  Holy  Child.  The  figure  of  the  Madonna  is  modern, 
but  the  painting  is  old  and  well  illustrates  the  artistic  ideas 
of  the  fathers.  A similar  painted  canopy  covers  the  old 
figure  of  San  Jose. 

II.  The  Ceiling.  This  can  be  studied  in  Plate  35.  There 
are  twenty-eight  rafters  upholding  the  roof,  and  extending 
completely  across  the  church.  Each  rafter  rests  upon  a 
corbel  which  can  be  seen  a little  more  distinctly  in  Plate 
47  b.  Both  rafters  and  corbels  are  rough-hewn  from  the 
solid  trees  and  they  have  sustained  unimpaired  to  the 


336  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


present  day  the  heavy  weight  of  the  roof.  This  is  estimated 
to  be  not  less  than  two  hundred  thousand  pounds.  The 
rafters  are  each  ten  by  twelve  inches  in  the  square,  and 
fully  forty  feet  long.  They  were  cut  in  the  mountains  at 
Cambria,  forty  miles  away,  and  carried  by  the  Indians  to 
their  destination.  These  rafters  protrude  some  twelve 
inches  or  so  through  the  wall,  to  which  they  are  fastened  or 
keyed  with  large  wooden  spikes. 

Over  the  altar,  the  corbels  are  tinted  a light  green,  and 
the  ceiling  and  rafters  pink.  Other  colors  used  in  the 
mural  decorations,  are  blue  and  white.  Over  the  altar, 
there  is  also  a further  decoration  of  the  ceiling  in  a leafy 
design  in  blue,  by  which  special  honor  is  given  to  the  most 
sacred  portion  of  the  church. 

III.  The  Walls.  These  are  executed  in  three  zones:  that 
of  the  altar,  and  those  of  the  church  and  choir.  These 
decorations  are  generally  called  frescoes,  but,  as  I believe, 
erroneously.  They  are  in  reality  distemper  paintings  on 
plaster.  A true  fresco  is  executed  with  mineral  or  earthy 
pigments  upon  a newly  laid  stucco  ground  of  lime  or 
gypsum;  so  that  the  colors  sinking  in  become  as  durable 
as  the  stucco  itself.  This,  it  appears  to  me,  is  not  the 
case  with  the  San  Miguel  decorations.  As  a general  criti- 
cism I may  say  that,  although  crude  and  inharmonious, 
they  are  exceedingly  interesting,  as  they  are  so  evi- 
dently a work  of  love  and  devotion.  The  desire  to  beautify 
the  sacred  house  is  there  manifest,  although  the  power 
adequately  to  accomplish  the  purpose  was  wanting.  To 
the  Mission  fathers  the  completed  church  was  dear,  beauti- 
ful, and  sacred,  because  beautified  to  the  best  of  their 
ability,  and  raised  with  the  ardor  of  their  whole  souls  to 
the  glory  of  God. 

In  the  altar  space  the  mural  decorations  on  the  sides 
consist  of  thirteen  bands,  alternating  green  and  brown; 
the  green  being  a design  of  pomegranate  leaf,  sprig,  and 
fruit ; the  brown  a conventional  design  of  leaves  arranged 


Plate  I 


b.  WALL  DECORATION,  SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


INTERIOR  DECORATION 


337 


in  a lozenge  pattern.  On  each  side  a painted  panel  is  in- 
troduced for  an  altar,  as  before  described.  In  Plate  48  a 
can  also  be  seen,  above  the  perpendicular  bands,  a hori- 
zontal band  about  three  feet  wide,  the  design  being  of  small 
squares  set  with  a conventional  pattern.  There  is  a fringe 
or  border,  painted  in  blue  to  represent  lace  with  tassels, 
both  above  and  below  this  band.  Still  another  horizontal 
band,  about  three  feet  wide,  in  gray  and  pink,  with  a 
painted  cornice  connecting  the  wall  decorations  with  the 
moulded  cornice  above,  complete  the  mural  adornments  in 
the  altar  zone. 

Beginning  at  the  altar,  there  is  a zone  of  decoration 
extending  on  each  side  of  the  church,  about  eighteen  feet. 
This  might  be  termed  the  pulpit  zone,  for  in  it,  on  the  right 
side,  the  pulpit  is  located,  as  seen  in  Plate  48  a.  This  deco- 
ration comprises  a series  of  bands  in  pink  and  shades  of 
green,  radiating  fan-shaped  from  a green  base,  situated 
between  three  and  four  feet  above  the  floor.  This  fan 
design  is  enclosed  in  a painted  panel,  outlined  by  fluted 
columns,  in  blue.  These  columns  continue,  at  a distance 
of  about  twelve  feet  apart,  along  the  body  of  the  church 
to  the  choir  zone,  at  which  point  an  entirely  different  de- 
sign is  introduced.  The  columns  are  further  decorated 
by  a conventional  leaf-and-fern  pattern,  as  seen  in  Plate 
48  b,  which  also  shows  the  frieze  and  the  painted  balus- 
trade, both  of  these  extending  from  the  altar  zone  to  that 
of  the  choir.  Above  and  below  the  choir  loft,  the  design 
is  the  Greek  key. 

IV.  The  Old  Pulpit.  A peculiar  fascination  pertains 
to  this  little  structure,  with  its  quaint  sounding-board  and 
crown-like  cover,  the  whole  resembling  a bird-nest  fastened 
upon  the  right  wall.  It  is  reached  by  a flight  of  eight 
steps  from  the  inside  of  the  altar  rail,  and  is  octagonal  in 
form,  three  of  the  eight  sides  being  occupied  by  the  door 
and  the  point  of  attachment  to  the  wall.  It  is  decorated 
as  follows:  the  inner  panel  is  deep  blue,  with  a band  of 


338  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


greenish  yellow;  the  outer  panel  being  in  dark  green  en- 
closed by  a moulding  in  blue,  red,  and  gray.  The  under 
scallop  is  in  red,  with  a band  above  of  greenish  yellow. 
The  sounding-board  is  shaped  like  a crown  surmounted 
with  a ball,  on  which  rests  a cross.  The  crown  is  painted 
green,  gold,  black,  and  silver,  with  the  scalloped  edge  in 
red. 

V.  The  Old  Confessional.  The  confessional  shown  in 
Plate  49  a is  built  into  the  solid  adobe  wall,  with  two  swing- 
ing doors  opening  from  it.  One  of  these  has  been  replaced 
by  new  material,  as  seen  in  the  picture;  the  other,  except 
for  the  insertion  of  a new  panel  of  redwood,  is  as  the  fathers 
left  it.  The  old  iron  hinges,  three  pairs  of  which  remain, 
are  originals,  and  good  examples  of  the  iron  handiwork 
of  the  time.  The  decoration  of  the  old  door  is  the  continu- 
ation of  one  of  the  fluted  columns  before  described. 

At  Santa  Ines  the  original  decorations  of  the  altar  zone 
still  remain.  Elsewhere  they  have  been  destroyed  with  the 
all-covering  whitewash.  In  this  church  the  ceiling  beams 
are  painted  with  red,  yellow,  and  green,  into  a portion  of 
a circle  with  pendants  at  each  point,  and  with  a leaf  de- 
sign inside  each  arc.  On  the  bottom  of  each  beam  is  a 
conventionalized  trailing  vine. 

The  decorations  of  the  side  wall  are  of  black  and  green 
around  the  window,  and  a rude  imitation  of  marble  in 
panels  at  each  side.  In  each  panel  hangs  a wooden  bracket, 
painted  in  water-color,  and  supporting  oil  paintings. 
About  three  feet  from  the  base  is  a border  of  yellow,  green, 
and  red  of  a large  conventionalized  leaf,  alternating  with 
a chalice,  or  vase. 

The  reredos  is  pretentious  and  inharmonious.  Indeed, 
were  it  not  for  the  sacred  furnishings,  statues,  and  altar 
beneath,  it  would  suggest  a rude  stage-setting  hastily  pre- 
pared for  an  emergency,  rather  than  its  sacred  function. 
It  is  a series  of  marbleized  panels,  enclosed  in  columns, 
with  bases  and  cornices.  The  archway  leading  from  the 


INTERIOR  DECORATION 


339 


sanctuary  into  the  sacristy  is  somewhat  elaborately,  al- 
though rudely  decorated,  as  shown  in  Plate  49  b.  This 
figure,  also,  gives  some  detail  of  the  dadoes  of  the  reredos, 
with  its  marble  panelling  and  conventional  figures  in  dia- 
monds of  differing  size. 

The  most  striking  and  pleasing  mural  decoration  of  the 
whole  building  is  found  in  the  seclusion  of  the  sacristy. 
It  is  done  in  blues,  reds,  and  yellows,  and  is  pictured  in 
Plate  50  a.  The  flower  (rose?)  and  leaf  below  the  Greek 
ke}T,  and  the  conventional  flower  and  leaf  above  are  the 
most  artistic  decorations  that  I have  yet  seen  in  the  Cali- 
fornia Missions. 

At  San  Luis  Rey  some  of  the  old  mural  decorations 
remain,  as  seen  in  the  marbleizing  of  the  engaged  col- 
umns, the  dadoes  at  their  base,  the  wavy  line  extending 
about  the  lower  part  of  the  walls,  and  the  designs  in  the 
doorways  and  arches  (Plate  51  a).  On  the  reredos  of 
the  side  altar,  also,  there  are  remnants  of  decoration  in 
distemper. 

The  winged  angels,  carrying  the  crown,  constitute  a fair 
example  of  the  ability  of  the  fathers  in  this  branch  of 
decorative  art ; the  columnar  design  on  the  right  and  the 
left  of  the  reredos,  as  well  as  the  decoration  of  the  lower 
wall  on  the  right,  deserve  to  be  examined. 

Plate  51  b shows  the  interior  wall  decorations  of  the  Pala 
Chapel,  a dependency  of  the  San  Luis  Rey  Mission.  The 
adobe  walls  were  plastered  and  whitewashed ; then  the  rude 
columns  and  arches  were  colored  in  distemper  to  a reddish 
brown.  When  the  Palatingwa  Indians  were  removed  from 
Warner’s  Ranch  to  Pala,  they  were  told  that  this  chapel 
would  be  theirs,  and  that  a priest  would  be  sent  regularly 
to  minister  to  them.  Imagine  their  chagrin  to  find  it  leased 
to  the  Landmarks  Club  of  Los  Angeles.  Bishop  Conaty 
of  Los  Angeles  arranged  that  services  should  be  conducted 
with  regularity,  sending  a priest  to  reside  among  them. 
This  latter,  with  a zeal  for  cleanliness  and  for  making  all 


340  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


things  under  his  control  conform  to  his  own  ideas,  neglect- 
ful or  unobservant  of  the  irritated  condition  of  the  Indians 
under  his  charge,  and  without  consulting  them  (so  I am 
informed),  ordered  the  walls  to  be  whitewashed.  The  in- 
dignation of  the  Indians  was  intense ; and  were  it  not  that 
high  feeling  had  been  common  to  them  of  late,  they  would 
have  practically  resented  this  desecration  of  the  time-hon- 
ored wall  decorations.  To  an  unsympathetic  stranger  their 
anger  might  appear  unreasonable  and  absurd;  but  when 
it  is  remembered  that  all  the  Indians  of  this  region  are 
responsive  to  the  memories  and  traditions  of  Padre  Peyri 
and  other  early  workers  at  the  Missions  of  San  Diego  and 
San  Luis  Rey,  their  feelings  appear  natural  and  almost 
proper. 

At  Santa  Barbara  all  that  remains  of  the  old  decorations 
are  found  in  the  reredos,  the  marbleizing  of  the  engaged 
columns  on  each  wall  and  the  entrance  and  side  arches, 
as  shown  in  Plate  29.  This  marble  effect  is  exceedingly 
crude,  and  does  not  represent  the  color  of  any  known 
marble. 

Here  and  there  on  the  walls  at  San  Juan  Bautista 
are  a few  remnants  of  the  old  distemper  paintings.  On  the 
further  side  of  the  seventh  arch  on  the  left  is  a conventional 
leaf  design  in  brownish  red. 

In  the  old  building  of  San  Francisco  the  rafters  of  the 
ceiling  have  been  allowed  to  retain  their  ancient  decorations. 
These  consist  of  rhomboidal  figures  placed  conventionally 
from  end  to  end  of  the  building. 

At  Santa  Clara,  when  the  church  was  restored  in  1861- 
62,  and  again  in  1885,  the  original  decorations  on  walls 
and  ceiling  were  necessarily  destroyed  or  injured.  But 
where  possible  they  were  kept  intact;  where  injured,  re- 
touched; and  where  destroyed,  replaced  as  near  the  orig- 
inal as  the  artist  could  accomplish.  In  some  cases  the 
original  work  was  on  canvas,  and  some  on  wood.  Where 
this  could  be  removed  and  replaced  it  was  done.  The  re- 


Plate  LT 


a.  REREDOS  AND  SIDE  ALTAR,  SAN  LUIS  REY 


b.  MURAL  DECORATIONS  AT  PALA  CHAPEL 


INTERIOR  DECORATION 


341 


touching  was  done  by  an  Italian  artist  who  came  down 
from  San  Francisco. 

On  the  walls,  the  wainscot  line  is  set  off  with  the  sinuous 
body  of  the  serpent,  which  not  only  lends  itself  well  to  such 
a purpose  of  ornamentation,  but  was  a symbolic  reminder 
to  the  Indians  of  that  old  serpent,  the  devil,  the  father  of 
lies  and  evil,  who  beguiled  our  first  parents  in  the  Garden 
of  Eden. 

In  the  ruins  of  the  San  Fernando  church  faint  traces  of 
the  decorations  of  the  altar  can  still  be  seen  in  two  simple 
rounded  columns,  with  cornices  above. 

At  San  Juan  Capistrano,  on  the  east  side  of  the  quad- 
rangle, in  the  northeast  corner,  is  a small  room ; and  in  one 
corner  of  this  is  a niche  for  a statue,  the  original  decora- 
tions therein  still  remaining.  It  is  weather-stained,  and  the 
rain  has  washed  the  adobe  in  streaks  over  some  of  it;  yet 
it  is  interesting.  It  consists  of  a rude  checkerboard  de- 
sign, or,  rather,  of  a diagonal  lozenge  pattern  in  reds  and 
yellows  (see  Plate  50  b). 

There  are  also  a few  remnants  of  the  mural  distemper 
paintings  in  the  altar  zone  of  the  ruined  church. 


342  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

THE  FURNITURE  AND  OTHER  WOOD-WORK  OF  THE  MISSIONS 

WITHIN  the  past  few  years,  the  term  “ Mission 
Furniture  ” has  become  current.  But  it  has 
been  accepted  too  freely,  and  without  having 
been  subjected  to  proper  investigation.  If  by  the  use  of 
that  name  the  idea  is  conveyed  that  it  is  modelled  after  the 
furniture  made  and  used  in  the  old  California  Missions  it 
is  clearly  unjustified,  since  the  Spanish  fathers  who  estab- 
lished the  California  Missions  failed  to  create  a style  of 
furniture  as  distinctive  as  their  architecture. 

In  the  erection  of  the  buildings  themselves  the  padres 
seemed  to  reach  the  limit  of  their  artistic  capacity.  This 
result  was  inevitable.  The  Mission  houses  were  the  prop- 
erty of  one  of  the  two  great  brotherhoods  founded  early 
in  the  thirteenth  century  in  the  effort  to  preserve  the  relig- 
ious unity  of  the  world.  Everything  tending  to  assure  the 
life,  to  strengthen  the  power  of  the  fraternity,  was  to  be 
undertaken  without  fear  and  executed  at  all  risks.  As  a 
consequence,  the  claims  of  the  individual  were  reduced  to 
nothing,  or  rather  absorbed  in  the  general  scheme.  The  vow 
of  the  Franciscan  involved  personal  poverty,  chastity,  and 
obedience.  Daily  he  was  reminded  of  his  vow  by  the  scourg- 
ing of  the  three  knots  of  his  rope  girdle,  and  constantly 
he  found  the  results  of  his  solemn  promises  in  the  most 
frugal  of  fare,  hard  labor,  and  the  absolute  bareness  of 
his  cell. 

From  these  facts  it  is  clear  that  everything  which  ap- 
proached the  idea  of  individual  belongings,  ease,  or  luxury 
was  strictly  eliminated  from  the  life  of  the  California  mis- 


Plate  LII 


a.  MISSION  BENCH  AT  LOS  ANGELES  CHAPEL 


h.  CONFESSIONAL  AT  SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


FURNITURE  AND  WOOD-WORK 


343 


sionaries,  as  fatal  to  the  interests  of  their  order.  They 
provided  their  cells,  their  refectories,  their  chapels  with 
such  movables  only  as  served  their  strictest  necessities.  To 
have  done  otherwise  would  have  been  to  attack  the  foun- 
dations of  their  brotherhood,  to  have  provided  for  the  com- 
fort of  their  bodies,  which  they  were  taught  to  abase  and 
mortify.  It  was  as  impossible  as  it  was  unsought  on  their 
part  for  them  to  create  any  types  whatsoever  of  domestic 
art.  Their  movables  were  collected  by  chance,  or,  when 
made  by  them,  were  constructed  upon  primitive  models. 
Their  chairs,  tables,  and  benches  were  such  as  fell  into 
their  possession,  or  else  were  fashioned  from  such  upright 
and  horizontal  timbers  as  might  have  been  used  by  the  first 
cabinet  maker. 

Thus,  obedient  to  their  conception  of  the  religious  life, 
furthermore,  not  possessing  a racial  art-instinct  like  cer- 
tain other  divisions  of  the  Latin  peoples,  these  Spanish 
monks  accepted  whatever  material  objects  were  most  easily 
obtainable,  and  held  themselves  aloof  from  their  influence. 
It  cannot  be  too  much  emphasized  that,  regarding  life  as 
a mere  passage,  as  a series  of  painful  tests  and  proofs, 
they  rejected  upon  principle  whatever  might  attach  them 
to  it. 

Therefore,  from  argument,  and  equally  from  evidence 
existing  in  the  objects  themselves,  it  is  apparent  that  there 
is  no  “ Mission  Style,”  except  that  which  pertains  to  archi- 
tecture. And  as  the  latter  has  been  illustrated  in  the 
present  pages  by  its  most  notable  examples,  so  now  the 
movable  objects  used  or  constructed  by  the  missionaries  for 
domestic  or  ecclesiastical  purposes  are  here  shown  in  a 
representative  collection.  These  objects  may  be  divided 
into  two  classes,  one  of  which  comprises  such  things  as  were 
copied  more  or  less  accurately  from  typical  originals,  as 
they  were  remembered,  or  else  such  as  were  brought  from 
the  mother  country.  These  especially  are  the  pulpits,  con- 
fessionals, lecterns,  and  candelabra.  It  is  proper  to  desig- 


SU  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


nate  them  as  objects  found  in  the  Missions.  The  other 
class  consists,  for  the  most  part,  of  objects  for  domestic 
use.  They  originated  in  the  Missions,  without,  however, 
constituting  a distinctive  style,  since  they  show  nothing  but 
the  simplest  provisions  to  meet  bare  necessities.  They  prove 
that  no  64  Mission  Style  ” of  furniture  ever  existed,  and 
place  the  term  where  it  rightly  belongs ; that  is,  among 
those  names  which,  first  applied  for  commercial  purposes, 
are  generally  accepted,  in  obedience  to  that  love  of  mys- 
tery and  romance  which  invades  even  the  most  prosaic 
lives. 

In  order,  then,  to  afford  a basis  of  judgment  between  the 
types  of  the  new  style  and  the  objects  from  which  they  re- 
ceived their  name,  the  accompanying  illustrations  have 
been  selected  from  those  Missions  of  the  entire  California 
chain  which  offer  the  best  examples ; and,  as  already  it  has 
been  said,  the  collection  has  been  arranged  with  the  direct 
purpose  to  show  that  the  furnishings  of  these  religious 
houses,  being  indiscriminately  gathered,  can  present  no 
thorough  principles  upon  which  to  base  a system  of  con- 
structive art.  In  this  collection  there  is  included,  it  is  be- 
lieved, a specimen  of  every  important  variety,  excepting 
the  altar  chairs  at  San  Carlos,  Monterey,  and  one  chair 
formerly  at  San  Diego ; all  of  which,  plainly  of  Ori- 
ental origin,  were  probably  brought  by  one  of  the  ships 
trading  with  the  Philippines  in  the  early  days  of  Spanish 
supremacy. 

The  series  of  illustrations  may  well  begin  with  the 
benches  which  are  among  the  most  direct  models  serving  for 
the  new  44  Mission  Style.”  Plate  52  a is  a seat  of  this  char- 
acter, preserved  at  Los  Angeles.  We  observe  in  this  a 
piece  of  good  form,  constructed  of  rough  uprights  and 
horizontals  crudely  put  together  by  an  unskilled  joiner, 
the  back-rest  and  the  seat  front  board  even  suggesting  the 
work  of  Indians.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  priest 
sitting  on  this  bench  is  the  Reverend  Father  Adam,  widely 


Plate  LI  II 


a.  CHAIR  IN  RELIC-ROOM, 
SANTA  CLARA 


b.  CHAIR  AT  SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA 


c.  CHAIR  IN  RELIC-ROOM, 
SANTA  BARBARA 


d.  CHAIR  AT  SAN  BUENAVENTURA 


FURNITURE  AND  WOOD-WORK 


345 


known  and  greatly  esteemed,  whose  departure  for  Spain 
a few  years  since  was  much  regretted  in  California,  where 
he  had  been  one  of  the  most  zealous  workers  of  the  Catho- 
lic Church.  Father  Adam  is  here  seen  holding  in  his  hand 
one  of  the  old  registers  of  the  San  Juan  Capistrano  Mis- 
sion, bound  in  the  soft  leather  peculiar  to  the  conventual 
books  of  the  period. 

A similar  simple  and  well-constructed  piece,  displaying 
on  the  seat  front  board  carvings  which  are  not  ungraceful, 
exists  in  the  relic-room  at  Santa  Barbara. 

Plate  53  a is  one  of  two  old  chairs  of  the  sanctuary, 
now  preserved  in  the  relic-room  at  Santa  Clara.  They 
are  heavy,  solid,  and  crude  in  workmanship  and  orna- 
mentation. The  legs  of  one  of  the  chairs  are  strongly 
curved  and  carved.  The  seats  of  both  are  much  too  nar- 
row, and  eloquently  speak  of  the  compulsion  they  laid 
upon  their  users  to  sit  bolt  upright.  The  arms  of  one 
are  slightly  hollowed  for  the  elbows,  and  the  ends  are 
scrolled.  The  top  of  the  head-rest  has  a slight  pretence 
of  ornamentation  in  the  crude  scalloped  work.  The  other 
chair  is  absolutely  plain  except  for  the  scalloping,  which 
it  is  evident  was  laboriously  done  by  hand.  Hand-made 
nails  and  wooden  pegs  were  used  to  hold  the  pieces 
together. 

Plate  53  b,  a dilapidated  chair  at  San  Juan  Bautista,  is 
of  a type  often  seen  in  Spain.  Although  quite  simple,  the 
chair,  as  judged  by  its  structure  and  lathe-work,  proceeded 
from  the  hand  of  a well-skilled  cabinet-maker. 

Plate  53  c,  from  the  relic- room  at  Santa  Barbara, 
mingles  the  Dutch  with  the  Spanish  type,  an  occurrence 
not  infrequent  in  art  and  handicraft  work,  owing  to  the 
close  political  and  social  connections  once  existing  between 
the  peoples  of  these  two  widely  different  races. 

Plate  53  d,  a chair  at  San  Buenaventura,  is  built  upon 
sound  structural  principles,  although  in  a crude  fashion. 
It  is  mortised  and  tenoned,  and  there  is  an  attempt  at  or- 


346  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


namentation  in  the  front  stretcher,  the  rounding  of  the 
arms,  and  the  terminations  of  the  posts. 

Plate  54  a is  a cupboard  at  San  Juan  Bautista,  still 
bearing  the  rude  hinges  of  the  early  Mission  forge,  and 
carved  with  the  utmost  skill  of  the  early  fathers;  the  work 
on  this  piece  being  much  superior  to  that  which  is  gener- 
ally seen  on  similar  pieces.  The  ornament  is  here  signifi- 
cant of  the  use  fulfilled  by  the  cabinet,  which  is  a receptacle 
for  ecclesiastical  vessels.  The  monstrance  and  the  chalice 
appear  surmounted  by  a design  which  may  be  a variant  of 
the  “ Tree  of  Life,”  so  frequently  seen  in  old  Italian, 
Spanish,  and  Flemish  wTood-carvings ; while  the  cockle- 
shell of  the  cornice  is  the  symbol  of  Saint  James  the  Elder, 
or  Santiago,  the  traveller  among  the  Apostles  and  the 
patron  of  Spain. 

Plate  54  b shows  brackets,  shelf,  and  a cupboard,  the 
work  of  the  Indians  at  Santa  Barbara,  and  dating  from 
1824. 

Leaving  now  the  furniture  proper,  let  us  pass  on  to 
examine  other  wood-work  found  in  the  Missions.  The  first 
specimen  chosen  is  a door,  and  it  may  be  observed  that  in 
producing  work  of  this  character  the  Mission  fathers  kept 
within  the  limits  of  their  capabilities,  no  delicate  handling 
being  required  in  order  to  attain  satisfactory  results.  The 
entrance  door  at  San  Luis  Obispo  is  shown  in  Plate  56  b. 
At  this  Mission  the  entire  church  has  been  “ restored  ” out 
of  all  resemblance  to  its  original  state.  But  fortunately, 
although  the  framework  seen  in  this  picture  is  new,  the 
door  itself  dates  from  the  days  of  the  early  fathers.  It 
has  sustained  the  attack  of  time  and  weather  better  than 
most  modern  work  will  do,  and  some  of  its  original  hinges 
are  still  in  use.  It  is  ornamented  by  two  rosette-like  panels 
with  terrace-bevelled  edges,  fastened  upon  each  of  the  two 
divisions ; these  being  impaled  with  heavy  spikes,  the  heads 
of  which  form  star-like  bosses,  while  other  similar  bosses 
are  disposed  symmetrically  throughout  the  body  of  the 


Plate  LIY 


a.  RECEPTACLE  FOR  ECCLESIASTICAL 
VESSELS,  SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA 


b.  BRACKETS,  SHELF,  AND  CUPBOARD, 
MADE  BY  INDIANS,  SANTA  BARBARA 


c.  CONFESSIONAL,  SAN  BUENAVENTURA 


d.  PULPIT,  SAN  LUIS  REY 


FURNITURE  AND  WOOD-WORK 


347 


door.  Regarded  as  ornament,  both  panels  and  bosses  are 
trivial,  but,  serving  to  strengthen  the  door,  they  are  ad- 
missible as  a constructive  feature. 

Plate  56  a is  chosen  from  San  Miguel.  Here,  also,  the 
frame  is  new,  the  door  only  being  original.  This,  as  occurs 
elsewhere,  is  a device  of  a door  within  a door,  the  construc- 
tion of  which  may  be  better  understood  by  reference  to  the 
illustration  than  through  an  explanation  in  words.  It  may 
be  noted  that  here  some  of  the  original  hinges  are  still  in 
use,  being  as  firmly  riveted  as  when  first  attached.  Of 
these  there  are  three  pairs  fully  a foot  in  length,  together 
with  three  smaller  pairs  for  the  use  of  the  smaller 
doors. 

Plate  54  c shows  a confessional  at  San  Buenaventura, 
and  in  Plate  28  a is  seen  a pulpit  of  similar  workmanship, 
both  of  which  were  brought  from  Spain  through  Mexico, 
or  else  were  made  in  the  latter  country  by  a superior  work- 
man. Unfortunately,  like  the  church  in  which  it  stands, 
the  confessional  has  been  subjected  to  a 44  restoration  ” 
which  has  greatly  marred  its  original  character.  The 
pulpit  has  totally  disappeared,  or,  at  least,  so  stated  the 
present  priest  when  recently  questioned. 

Plate  55  a shows  a pulpit,  being  the  original  construc- 
tion still  in  use  at  San  Juan  Bautista.  It  is  in  no  wise  dis- 
tinctive, and  might  be  found  in  any  Roman  Catholic  coun- 
try, just  as  the  reredos  or  the  side  altars  might  as  well  be 
located  in  France  or  in  Lower  Canada,  for  aught  that  is 
revealed  in  their  structure.  The  pulpit,  however,  attains 
importance  from  the  fact  that  from  it,  seventy-five  years 
since,  a devoted  missionary,  Father  Arroya,  preached  the 
gospel  to  the  Indians  in  thirteen  of  their  native  dialects. 

Another  pulpit  (Plate  54  d)  is  of  a type  commonly 
found  in  continental  churches,  and  calls  for  no  special  com- 
ment, except  that  the  corbel  with  its  conical  sides  har- 
monizes with  the  panels  and  base-moulding  of  the  box 
proper.  This  model,  so  frequently  seen,  loses  nothing  by 


348  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


familiarity,  and  is  always  grateful  to  the  eye  by  reason  of 
its  symmetrical  proportions. 

Plate  28  b is  a picture  which  no  lover  of  the  old  Missions 
can  look  upon  without  being  sensible  of  its  pathos.  It 
represents  the  interior  of  San  Antonio,  as  it  stood  some 
twenty  years  ago ; and  when  it  is  compared  with  the  pres- 
ent state  of  the  place  it  awakens  deep  regret.  A number  of 
interesting  features  have  disappeared.  The  wooden  ceil- 
ing, the  altar  rails,  the  benches,  the  confessional,  the  pulpit 
have  been  taken  away  or  destroyed  by  ruthless  hands. 
Other  objects  of  interest  would  have  shared  the  same  fate 
had  they  not  been  seized  and  preserved  by  Mr.  G.  C. 
Dutton  of  Jolon,  who,  holding  them  in  trust,  has  now  ar- 
ranged to  deliver  them  to  the  Landmarks  Club  of  San 
Francisco,  which  has  undertaken  to  preserve  what  remains 
of  the  buildings  at  San  Antonio. 

Plate  56  c is  a Paschal  candlestick  now  in  use  at  Santa 
Barbara,  showing  the  undisguised  constructive  lines  which 
the  new  “ Mission  Style  ” takes  as  its  basis.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  Paschal  candlestick  of  the  Santa  Clara  Mission 
is  quite  elaborate,  carved  in  a very  conventional  and  ornate 
manner,  and  then  painted  and  gilded.  It  is  nearly  six  feet 
high,  and  is  composed  of  three  parts,  — the  base,  the  sup- 
porting column,  and  the  candleholder.  There  appear  in 
Plate  57  a two  other  light-holders,  placed  on  either  side  of 
a large  crucifix.  The  former  are  evidently  of  domestic 
make,  but  are  pleasing  by  their  obelisk-like  outlines  and 
the  lamps  at  the  apex,  which  accentuate  the  artistic  idea. 
The  crucifix  is  notable  in  having  the  feet  of  the  suffering 
Christ  crossed  and  pierced  by  a single  nail.  It  once  served 
on  the  high  altar,  and  it  shows  over  all  its  surface  the 
assiduous  work  of  “ the  worm,  our  busy  brother.” 

Plate  56  d represents  the  music  desk,  or  lectern,  at  San 
Juan  Bautista,  which  once  held  the  ponderous  psalter-book, 
while  the  brothers  stood  about  it  chanting  the  service.  The 
pages  of  the  book  were  kept  in  place  by  small  wooden  pegs 


Plate  LY 


PULPIT,  SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA  b.  CONFESSIONAL,  SANTA  INES 


FURNITURE  AND  WOOD-WORK 


349 


inserted  into  holes,  and  the  pegs  were  hung  upon  the  desk 
by  means  of  fine,  braided  catgut. 

In  the  missal-stand  for  use  on  the  high  altar,  shown  in 
Plate  57  c,  and  contained  in  the  relic-case  at  Santa  Clara, 
we  have  an  ingeniously  constructed  piece  of  wood-work.  It 
is  formed  of  what  appears  to  be  two  pieces  of  inch-board 
which  open  and  shut  without  hinges.  The  two  pieces  of 
board  are  themselves  hinged  in  the  shoulder,  so  that  the 
piece  closes  up  tightly,  or  can  be  opened  at  the  angle  per- 
mitted. It  was  made  from  a two-inch  board  sawed  down 
to  the  upper  part  of  the  shoulder  from  above,  and  up  to 
the  lower  part  of  the  shoulder  from  below.  Five  vertical 
cuts  or  slits  were  made  in  the  shoulder  for  the  hinges  and 
then  the  curves  of  the  shoulder  itself,  on  both  upper  and 
lower  sides,  were  cut  with  a sharp  instrument.  The  result 
displays  much  inventive  faculty,  and  the  repetition  of  the 
device  at  several  of  the  Missions  proves  that  its  merit  was 
appreciated. 

At  Santa  Barbara  there  is  preserved  among  the  relics 
an  old  processional  wooden  cross,  having  the  floriated  ter- 
minals familiar  in  examples  of  the  Holy  Symbol,  dating 
from  the  crusading  period.  This  piece  is  shown  in  Plate 
57  b,  while  Plate  57  d represents  the  old  font  for  holy 
water,  still  in  use,  at  the  entrance  to  the  Mission  of  San 
Miguel.  This  is  made  from  the  bole  of  a tree,  and  is  about 
three  feet  in  height,  fluted  and  fitted  to  contain  a basin. 

At  San  Juan  Capistrano  and  Santa  Barbara  rude  mov- 
able wooden  belfries  formerly  served  on  occasions  when  it 
was  not  advisable  to  ring  the  larger  bells.  The  one  seen  in 
Plate  58  a is  now  preserved  in  the  relic-room  at  Santa  Bar- 
bara. It  is  a rude  wheel  of  wood,  to  the  circumference  of 
which  the  bells  are  fastened;  the  whole  revolving  on  an 
iron  pin,  held  in  the  sockets  of  the  supporting  posts  and 
operated  by  an  iron  handle. 

Plate  58  b pictures  the  matraca  (clapper  or  rattle)  used 
at  the  Mission  from  Holy  Thursday  to  Easter  Sunday,  a 


350  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


period  when  the  bells  of  the  campanario  are  never  rung, 
and  are  said  to  have  “ gone  to  Rome.” 

At  San  Juan  Capistrano  the  baptismal  font  is  capped 
with  a wooden  cover  represented  in  Plate  58  c.  It  is  an 
interesting  although  crude  piece  of  workmanship,  provided 
with  old  iron  hinges  made  in  the  Mission  shops.  Three 
sections  of  the  carved  circular  frame  have  disappeared,  but 
the  remaining  portion  testifies  to  the  taste  and  the  rudi- 
mentary skill  of  the  one  who  fashioned  it.  The  pouring 
shell  seen  at  the  front  is  of  silver,  and  was  probably 
brought  from  Mexico. 

Plate  58  d is  of  a chandelier  made  by  the  Indians,  and 
long  used  in  the  Santa  Barbara  Mission. 

Almost  hidden  in  an  obscure  corner  of  the  relic-room  at 
Santa  Barbara  is  an  interesting  decorative  fragment.  It 
is  the  crown-piece  of  the  ancient  altar  tabernacle,  and  is 
ornamented  with  the  Sacred  Hearts  of  Jesus  and  Mary, 
and  the  instruments  of  the  Passion.  The  piece  is  further- 
more notable  as  affording  the  first  instance,  as  far  as  is 
known,  of  the  use  of  the  iridescent  abalone  shell,  which  is 
now  emplo}red  so  frequently  and  effectively  in  the  modem 
handicraft  of  California. 

There  remain  many  other  uses  of  wood  and  many  other 
wooden  objects  which  might  be  described,  such  as  the 
wooden  bells  once  hanging  as  “ dummies  ” in  the  cam- 
panile at  San  Buenaventura ; the  old  pulpit  at  Santa 
Clara  (which  has  been  restored  according  to  the  original 
scheme)  ; the  reliquary  case  used  in  processions  by  Father 
Junipero  Serra ; the  altar  rail  in  the  practically  new  Mis- 
sion church  at  Santa  Clara,  made  from  the  original  red- 
wood beams  which  spanned  the  old  Mission  structures. 


SILVER  AND  BRASS  WARE 


351 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

THE  SILVER  AND  BRASS  WARE  OF  THE  MISSIONS 

IT  is  impossible  in  a brief  chapter  to  present  pictures 
and  descriptions  of  all  the  silver  and  brass  ware 
found  at  the  Missions,  but  it  will  be  interesting  and 
instructive  to  see  a few  examples.  Much  of  this  ware  was 
brought  by  the  padres  from  Mexico.  Of  much  of  it  we 
have  Padre  Palou’s  lists,  made  ere  the  things  were  shipped 
from  Lower  California.  As  we  have  elsewhere  seen,  many 
of  them  were  contributed  — willingly  or  otherwise  — by 
the  Missions  there.  Hence  all  these  pieces  have  a peculiar 
and  romantic  interest.  Some  came  from  Spain  to  Vera 
Cruz.  They  were  then  packed  on  mules  across  the  hun- 
dreds of  miles  to  the  City  of  Mexico.  From  thence  they 
were  transported  on  mule-back  to  the  coast,  and  then  in 
vessels  across  the  Gulf  of  California  to  the  Jesuit  Missions. 
Here  for  years  they  were  the  objects  of  respect  and  vener- 
ation of  the  rude  savages  of  the  Peninsula  ; then  they  came 
into  the  hands  of  the  Franciscans,  were  gathered  together, 
and  either  transported  by  vessel  to  San  Diego,  or  on  mule- 
back  up  the  dreary  roads  and  over  the  frightful  mountain 
passes  of  the  Peninsula  to  the  new  Missions  of  Alta  Cali- 
fornia ; so  that  each  article  has  condensed  within  it  a wide 
range  of  romance,  and  should  be  religiously  guarded  and 
preserved  because  of  what  it  enshrines. 

From  the  technical  standpoint,  they  are  also  interesting 
as  showing  a wonderful  difference  in  artistic  conception 
and  workmanship.  Some  of  them  are  pathetic  in  their 
makeshift  grasp  of  essentials,  and  the  rudeness  of  their 
make ; others  are  grandiose,  almost  bombastic  in  their  por- 


352  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


trayal  of  half-forgotten  splendors.  Some  bring  the  mem- 
ory of  the  land  of  the  dignified  Arab,  with  his  orientalism 
and  desert  abandon;  others  the  careful  touch  of  classical 
origin,  and  of  a culture  that  has  departed  or  become 
changed  out  of  all  its  original  character.  In  all  the  pieces, 
however,  there  is  a frankness  that  wins  us,  and  that  adds 
a page  to  the  note-book  of  the  enthusiast,  bringing  us  into 
closer  sympathy  with  the  people  who  made  and  who  used 
them,  who,  while  their  thoughts  seem  in  the  nebulous  clouds 
to  us,  yet  kept  one  foot  on  the  earth  in  their  childlike  whole- 
someness and  honest  intent.  The  fire  needed  for  their  forge 
and  furnace  was  kindled  from  the  sparks  of  love  and  rev- 
erence, — love  for  the  supreme  goodness  of  God  and  rever- 
ence for  his  power;  and  their  hands  were  guided  by 
thoughts  of  conceptions  above  this  earth,  — conceptions 
of  the  mysteries  of  the  hereafter. 

The  processional  cross  that  used  to  be  borne  before  the 
sainted  Serra  is  now  at  the  old  presidio  church  at  Mon- 
terey. (Plate  59  a.)  It  is  of  silver,  with  a maker’s  stamp, 
44  Ton,”  upon  it,  and  is  chased  with  a neat  and  appropriate 
design.  The  Christ  is  of  brass,  evidently  modern,  and  used 
to  replace  the  original,  which  was  probably  lost  or  stolen 
during  the  dark  days  of  the  secularization  period.  The 
reverse  side  of  the  cross  (Plate  59  b)  is  most  beautifully 
chased. 

There  are  also  two  pairs  of  altar  candlesticks,  beauti- 
fully ornamented  in  olive-leaf  design. 

The  processional  cross  of  San  Miguel  stands  neglected 
and  forgotten  in  the  sacristy.  It  is  of  brass.  The  cross 
itself  is  a foot  and  a half  high,  and  is  hand-carved,  rather 
rudely.  Above  the  figure  of  the  Christ  are  the  letters  in 
capitals,  44 1 N R I,”  and  an  aureola  around  the  figure. 

There  is  a close  similarity  between  this  cross  and  the 
one  at  San  Buenaventura.  While  the  design  is  somewhat 
different,  the  workmanship  suggests  that  it  might  have 
been  done  by  the  same  hand.  (Plate  59  c and  d.)  The 


Plate  LVI 


ENTRANCE  DOORS,  SAN  MIGUEL 


b.  ENTRANCE  DOORS,  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO 


c.  PASCHAL  CANDLESTICK, 
SANTA  BARBARA 


d.  MUSIC  DESK,  SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA 


m 


Plate  LVII 


c.  MISSAL  STAND  FOR  ALTAR  USE, 
SANTA  CLARA 


«.  WOODEN  CANDLESTICKS  AND 
CRUCIFIX,  SANTA  INfiS 


b.  WOODEN  PROCESSIONAL  CROSS, 
SANTA  BARBARA 


d.  FONT  FOR  IIOLY  WATER, 
SAN  MIGUEL 


SILVER  AND  BRASS  WARE 


353 


detail  of  this  cross  is  both  interesting  and  unusual  from 
the  quaint  use  of  decoration  of  Persian-Moorish  character. 
The  rose  centre,  the  floriated  detail  at  crossing  and  at  the 
foot  of  the  cross  show  much  thought,  while  the  addition  of 
a cross  in  the  lower  panel  on  the  reverse  side  is  pathetic 
and  exceptional. 

There  are  two  processional  candlesticks  of  plain  silver 
at  Santa  Ines,  and  a processional  cross,  which  is  finely 
carved  and  chased.  (Plate  21  c.)  The  base  and  stand- 
ard are  plain.  (Plate  21  d.)  There  is  a lace-like  qual- 
ity in  the  contriving  of  these  narrow  bands  with  rosette 
centres  which  is  very  ingenious  in  that  the  ornament  ties 
the  cross  to  the  standard  and  increases  its  apparent  length. 

The  processional  candlesticks  of  the  old  presidio  church 
at  Monterey  were  brought  from  Carmelo.  (Plate  60  a.) 
They  are  of  superior  workmanship.  They  afford  an  ex- 
cellent lesson  in  values.  Note  in  each  one  the  relation  of  the 
decorative  fluting  and  chasing  to  the  plain  moulding  at 
top  and  to  the  staff.  They  are  a strong,  bold  piece  of 
composition. 

There  are  also  six  other  silver  candlesticks  at  Monterey 
which  came  from  Carmelo.  (Plate  60  b.)  They  are  em- 
bossed and  chased,  or  engraved  in  a manner  that  reminds 
one  somewhat  of  the  work  of  the  Navaho  silversmiths, 
though  the  design  is  a little  more  elaborate  than  any  at- 
tempted by  these  nomad  Indians  of  the  plains.  These 
candlesticks  are  of  a type  always  associated  with  Spanish 
metal-work  and  of  considerable  value.  The  turning  and 
the  ingenious  arrangement  of  detail,  in  that  it  is  well-bal- 
anced, are  added  elements  of  charm.  Note  the  increasing 
strength  given  by  the  use  of  upright  lines  and  movement. 

Equally  beautiful,  though  of  different  style,  are  two 
fine  silver  altar  candlesticks,  still  used  at  San  Juan  Capis- 
trano, one  of  which  is  shown  in  Plate  60  c.  These  are 
somewhat  unusual  in  that  the  shaft  is  interrupted  by  the 
introduction  of  a square  motif,  rosetted.  The  base  is 

23 


354  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


square,  hollowed  in  plan,  with  corners  removed.  The  feet 
are  quaint  and  of  grand  design,  riveted  from  face.  The 
interest  of  the  whole  is  much  enhanced  by  this  method  of 
simple  outline.  They  illustrate  considerable  thought  and 
understanding  of  proportion. 

Another  style  of  candlestick,  in  brass,  is  shown  in  Plate 
60  d.  This  is  at  the  presidio  church  at  Monterey.  Varia- 
tions of  this  same  type  are  shown  in  the  two  pairs  (Plate 
62  a and  b),  which  are  at  San  Luis  Obispo.  The  singular 
delicacy  of  these  candlesticks  is  well  worthy  of  note.  The 
mouldings  are  “ under  cut,”  finely  turned,  and  full  of  de- 
lightful charm.  The  work  shows  considerable  thought  and 
artistic  taste.  The  method  of  attaching  the  feet  by  a sys- 
tem of  overlapping  the  lower  moulding  is  both  quaint  and 
curious. 

With  a somewhat  different  base  are  two  of  several  at 
San  Juan  Capistrano,  shown  in  Plate  62  c.  These  have 
balustered  stems,  turned  in  sections  with  delicate  mouldings. 
They  stand  on  three-sided  bases,  — significant  and  curious, 
— with  splayed  projecting  moulding  to  top  edge.  The  feet 
have  strangely  shaped  claws. 

Plate  61  a shows  two  silver  incense-burners,  an  incense- 
holder,  etc.,  from  San  Luis  Obispo.  The  pierced  portion 
of  these  incense-burners  speaks  eloquently  of  the  crafts- 
man’s knowledge  of  grotesque  rococo  scrolls,  while  the 
concave  and  convex  ornament,  alternating  and  overlap- 
ping, is  curious  and  interesting.  All  this  is  distinctly 
Spanish  in  character  and  workmanship. 

Plate  61  b is  a fine  silver  piece  of  beautiful  workman- 
ship for  holding  the  elements  used  in  the  sacrament  of 
baptism.  This  is  in  use  at  San  Luis  Obispo.  It  is  of  late 
design,  and  a singular  expression  of  * indifference  to  the 
relation  of  things ; convenience,  rather  than  artistic  result, 
being  the  thing  sought.  Note  the  ends  to  the  arms  of  the 
cross. 

There  is  an  incense  cup  of  silver  at  Santa  Ines,  from 


Plate  LYIII 


MOVABLE  WOODEN  BELERY, 
SANTA  BARBARA 


b.  MATRACA,  OR  CLAPPER, 
SANTA  BARBARA 


c.  CARVED  TOP  OF  BAPTISMAL  FONT, 
SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


d.  WOODEN  CHANDELIER, 
SANTA  BARBARA 


SILVER  AND  BRASS  WARE 


355 


La  Punsima,  and  a silver  incense-burner  from  San  Miguel. 
It  is  pleasant  thus  to  think  of  the  older  Missions  contrib- 
uting to  the  equipment  of  the  younger  one ; as  of  big 
brothers  and  sisters  caring  for  a smaller  and  newer  member 
of  the  family.  Let  us  hope  it  was  done  with  more  willing 
tenderness  than  was  felt  when  the  Missions  of  Peninsula 
California  were  called  upon  to  contribute  for  the  estab- 
lishments in  Alta  California. 

Three  aspergers  must  suffice  to  represent  these  vessels. 
Plate  63  a shows  the  influence  of  Moorish  design.  The 
handle  is  cast  and  turned.  The  base  is  hammered  from  the 
back  in  primitive  fashion,  the  whole  portraying  the  quaint 
workmanship  of  a simple  people. 

More  ornate  and  elaborate  in  its  chasing  is  Plate  63  b, 
from  San  Carlos,  Carmelo,  and  now  in  use  at  Monterey. 
The  handle,  with  its  interlacing  moons  and  ring,  and  the 
arabesque  ornament  through  body  and  base,  — all  show 
the  distinct  influence  of  Moorish  conception,  though  it  is 
clearly  Spanish  in  execution. 

That  at  San  Juan  Bautista  (Plate  63  c)  is  beautiful  and 
artistic.  The  only  ornament  is  a silver  band,  which  is 
worked  into  a simple  design  for  a handle.  This  is  undoubt- 
edly of  Moorish  character,  and  the  very  unusual  method 
of  attachment  to  so  large  and  plain  a body  is  a striking 
proof  of  ability  in  design,  far  beyond  the  average.  The 
ring  and  its  system  of  riveting  is  well  worth  the  study  of 
both  craftsman  and  artist.  The  flat  lip  also  adds  a small 
note  to  the  charm  of  the  whole. 

At  San  Luis  Obispo  is  a baptismal  font  of  hammered 
copper,  as  shown  in  Plate  63  d.  It  is  a rude  and  simple 
piece  of  work,  and  was  undoubtedly  made  either  there  or  at 
one  of  the  other  Missions,  as,  for  instance,  San  Fernando, 
which  had  a great  reputation  for  its  copper  work.  The 
stand  upon  which  it  rests  is  of  wood,  painted  in  a rude 
design.  As  one  looks  at  this  piece,  the  blows  of  the  hammer 
can  be  heard,  and  the  eyes  of  the  worker  glowing  with 


356  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


affection  and  pride.  Each  blow  leaves  its  mark  and  tells 
its  own  story.  The  overlapping  seam,  the  big  projection 
of  the  edge,  the  hinging  of  the  cover,  its  fastenings,  — all 
lend  intense  and  appealing  interest  to  the  piece.  There 
are  more  of  these  copper  fonts  at  others  of  the  Missions, 
but  that  of  San  Luis  Rey  has  a history  peculiarly  its  own. 
After  secularization  the  Indians  stole  it  and  sold  it,  and  for 
many  years  it  was  used  for  64  base  purposes.”  But  ulti- 
mately it  was  located  and  claimed,  and  is  now  back  at  San 
Luis ; but  its  travels  and  experiences  away  f rom  home 
have  so  injured  it  that  it  needs  considerable  repairs.  At 
present,  therefore,  a temporary  font  is  being  used,  with  an 
abalone  shell  as  the  pourer.  In  all  Catholic  churches  water 
is  poured  over  the  head  of  the  child  or  adult  to  be  baptized 
by  means  of  a small  vessel,  generally  a silver  shell,  as 
pictured  elsewhere  in  these  pages.  This  necessitates  a font, 
for  the  holding  of  the  consecrated  water  and  oil,  and  then 
a waste  bowl,  over  which  the  neophyte  holds  his  head.  In 
the  more  elaborate  fonts  the  two  bowls  are  in  one.  At  San 
Luis  the  waste  bowl  is  of  fine  soapstone,  probably  gained 
from  the  Indians  of  Santa  Catalina  Island.  It  stands 
about  four  feet  high. 


Plate  LIX 


a.  PROCESSIONAL  CROSS  (FRONT), 
PRESIDIO  CHURCH,  MONTEREY 


b.  PROCESSIONAL  CROSS  (REVERSE), 
PRESIDIO  CHURCH,  MONTEREY 


c.  PROCESSIONAL  CROSS  (FRONT), 
SAN  BUENAVENTURA 


d PROCESSIONAL  CROSS  (REVERSE), 
SAN  BUENAVENTURA 


A CHAPTER  OF  SAINTS 


357 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

A CHAPTEE  OF  SAINTS 

IT  is  instinctive  in  the  ordinary  human  being  to  look 
up  to  some  one  above  himself.  Carlyle  was  not  the 
first  hero-worshipper,  nor  is  he  the  last.  In  this 
matter  the  Catholic  Church  has  proven  herself  wise  in  rec- 
ognizing this  universal  propensity  to  select  from  among 
her  members  men  and  women  conspicuous  for  their  blame- 
less and  heroic  Christian  lives,  and  to  whom  it  believed  that 
Heaven  had  borne  indubitable  testimony,  — sometimes  by 
the  power  to  work  miracles,  — and  raise  them  to  the  honors 
of  her  altars  by  the  solemn  decree  of  canonization.  Long- 
fellow beautifully  enunciated  the  principle  upon  which 
they  acted  when,  in  his  “ Psalm  of  Life,”  he  reminded  us 
that  “ Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us  we  can  make  our 
lives  sublime.” 

It  is  not  my  purpose  to  expatiate  upon  the  lives  of  the 
saints,  but,  as  many,  otherwise  interested  in  the  old 
Missions,  are  perhaps  not  so  familiar  with  the  saints,  I 
thought  it  would  be  well,  in  showing  some  of  the  pict- 
ures of  the  wooden  figures  of  the  saints  that  are  to  be 
found  at  the  Missions,  to  make  some  brief  mention  of 
their  lives. 

The  Viceroy  Galvez  placed  the  first  sea  expedition  for 
the  missionizing  and  colonization  of  Alta  California,  under 
the  patronage  of  San  Jose  (Saint  Joseph).  This  saint, 
as  the  foster  father  of  our  Lord,  was  necessarily  the  pro- 
vider of  all  his  needs,  and  also  of  those  of  the  Virgin,  his 
mother.  Hence  he  is  made  the  patron  saint  of  the  tern- 


358  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


poralities  of  all  institutions.  There  are  several  statues  of 
San  Jose  found  in  the  Missions,  one  (Plate  43  a)  being  in 
the  relic-room  at  Santa  Barbara. 

In  the  sacristy  at  the  old  presidio  church  at  Monterey, 
is  a rudely  carved  statue  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  (Plate  64 
b.)  Its  place,  in  art,  is  among  that  class  of  figures  in- 
tended by  the  artificer  for  draping,  as  it  was  thus  rendered 
more  in  touch  with  the  every-day  life  of  the  Indians  it  was 
intended  to  impress.  To  this  class  also  pertain  the  various 
Child- Jesus  statuettes,  a typical  case  being  the  Infant 
Jesus  of  Prague,  commonly  known  as  “ The  Holy  Child.” 
It  is  possible  that  this  statue  of  Our  Lady  was  carved  by 
the  Indian  neophytes  under  the  direction  of  the  padres. 
Statues  that  were  imported  were  generally  carved  through- 
out and  could  be  placed  in  position  without  draping.  The 
“ Saint  Clare  ” of  the  Santa  Clara  Mission  belongs  to  the 
former  class.  This  statue  of  the  Monterey  sacristy  stands 
about  four  feet  high  and  wears  a very  modern  tinsel  halo 
and  garments. 

Almost  every  Mission  has,  or  had,  its  figures  of  the  Vir- 
gin and  Holy  Child,  and  it  would  be  a wonderful  study  in 
expression  if  all  of  these  could  be  gathered  together  for 
comparative  study.  In  Plate  20  a Our  Lady  is  repre- 
sented crowned,  as  the  Queen  of  Heaven,  the  Child  Jesus  in 
her  arms.  But  in  Plate  20  b there  is  a sweet,  gentle,  and 
maternal  look  that  wins  and  captivates  the  soul. 

In  Plate  44  a is  a conception  of  the  Holy  Child  when 
he  was  disputing  with  the  elders  in  the  Temple.  It  is 
neither  pleasing  nor  artistic,  and  the  enlarged  head  and 
the  strained  attitude  make  a grotesque  effect  rather  than 
the  deep  impression  its  maker  doubtless  intended.  Yet  it 
never  must  be  forgotten  that  all  these  figures  were  de- 
signed to  impress  the  childlike  Indians  and  the  devout,  to 
whom  everything  of  this  nature  was  too  serious  and  solemn 
to  be  looked  at  critically. 

At  the  San  Diego  school  (which  is  close  to  the  old  Mis- 


Plate  LX 


a.  PROCESSIONAL 
CANDLESTICK 
AT  MONTEREY 


c.  ALTAR  CANDLESTICK, 
SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


b.  ALTAR  CANDLESTICK, 
MONTEREY 


d.  ALTAR  CANDLESTICK, 
MONTEREY 


A CHAPTER  OF  SAINTS 


359 


sion)  are  two  small  wooden  figures  of  Christ:  one  in  the 
Garden  of  Gethsemane  (Plate  12  a),  and  the  other  after 
the  scourging,  when  the  soldiers  mockingly  put  on  him 
the  scarlet  robe.  (Plate  12  b.)  The  cloak  is  of  canvas, 
painted  red,  but  so  well  put  on  that  at  first  sight  the  red 
canvas  appears  to  be  part  and  parcel  of  the  carved  wood. 
The  shading  from  one  kind  of  material  into  the  other 
is  very  ingeniously  done. 

These  statuettes  are  about  a foot  and  a half  high,  and 
have  a wooden  base  which  is  so  worm-eaten  as  to  be  slowly 
crumbling  away.  It  looks  almost  like  cork,  so  completely 
have  the  tiny  creatures  cut  their  way  through  it. 

Two  valued  treasures  of  the  Dominican  Sisters  Orphan- 
age at  Mission  San  Jose  are  the  statues  of  Ecce  Homo 
(Plate  4)  and  San  Buenaventura  (Plate  64  a),  which  used 
to  belong  to  the  old  Mission.  That  of  the  Ecce  Homo 
is  in  the  convent  precincts,  and  a special  dispensation  had 
to  be  produced  ere  I was  permitted  to  photograph  it.  To 
me  it  is  one  of  the  most  wonderful  statues  in  the  whole  of 
the  Missions;  the  sad,  tender  austerity  of  the  face,  the 
pain  and  woe  thereon  depicted.  Only  the  face,  hands,  and 
feet  are  carved ; the  body  is  unshapen,  so  that  it  was  neces- 
sary to  clothe  the  figure.  The  rich  silk  gown  and  the  Fran- 
ciscan girdle,  therefore,  are  real,  and  were  undoubtedly 
put  on  when  the  statue  was  first  made,  and  this  accounts 
for  its  present  forlorn  and  dilapidated  condition.  It  stands 
about  three  feet  high,  and  is  on  a bracket  at  the  end  of  the 
corridor  where  the  young  sisters  sleep.  Some  of  them  are 
avowedly  afraid  of  it,  for,  especially  in  the  twilight,  stand- 
ing there  under  the  skylight  with  a full  view  of  the  whole 
corridor,  it  is  easy  to  imagine  it  some  austere  and  stem 
monk  looking  even  into  the  very  depths  of  the  heart  of  those 
who  come  within  its  ken. 

The  San  Buenaventura  is  of  the  more  ordinary  type,  the 
dress  being  composed  of  leather  moulded  to  the  required 
form,  then  stiffened  and  painted. 


360  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


San  Buenaventura  was  originally  Giovanni  di  Fidanza. 
He  was  born  at  Bagnarea  in  Tuscany  in  1221.  St. 
Francis  of  Assisi,  meeting  him  one  day  and  being  charmed 
with  the  attractive  power  of  his  personality,  and  foreseeing 
his  future  greatness,  exclaimed  “ O buona  ventura ! ” and 
this  appellative  — Buenaventura  in  Spanish  (Good  For- 
tune in  English) — clung  to  him.  Because  of  his  great  skill 
as  a writer  and  teacher  of  mystic  theology  he  was  called 
the  seraphic  doctor.  He  was  in  turn  bishop,  minister-gen- 
eral of  the  Franciscan  Order,  and  Cardinal.  He  died  in 
1274.  His  day  is  July  14. 

At  Santa  Barbara  are  three  figures  which  represent  the 
three  archangels,  Gabriel,  Miguel,  and  Rafael.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  San  Gabriel  announced  to  Mary  the  mys- 
tery of  the  incarnation,  hence  he  is  intimately  connected 
with  that  great  dispensation.  His  place  in  Christian  sym- 
bolism is  largely  determined  thereby.  His  day  is  March 
18.  In  Plate  44  b he  appears,  robed  in  vesture  bedight 
with  shimmering  stars  and  silver  moon.  Just  as  the  ar- 
rows in  the  talons  of  the  American  eagle  on  the  national 
shield  symbolize  the  nation’s  defenders  ready  at  their  coun- 
try’s call,  so  the  stars  and  moon  of  San  Gabriel  are  worn 
by  him  as  the  messenger  of  the  Holy  Virgin,  as  explained 
in  Rev.  xii.  1. 

San  Miguel  is  presented  in  Plate  44  c.  With  crossed 
lines  on  breast,  and  fingers  pointing  upwards,  this  statue 
presents  the  saint  as  breastplated,  uttering  his  cry  to  the 
angelic  hosts:  Mi-cha-el  Quis-ut-Deus  — Who-as-GodP 
thus  calling  upon  them  to  decide  under  whom  they  would 
muster.  His  day  is  September  29,  but  there  is  a subsid- 
iary festival  of  his  on  May  8. 

Plate  44  d is  of  San  Rafael.  The  fish  under  his  feet 
symbolizes  him  as  the  specially  assigned  heavenly  guardian 
of  the  young  Tobias.  (See  Tobias  vi.  2,  3,  4.)  San  Ra- 
fael’s day  is  October  24. 

At  Santa  Barbara  also  is  the  statue  of  San  Antonio  de 


Plate  LXI 


ALTAR  VESSELS,  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO 


A CHAPTER  OF  SAINTS 


361 


Padua  (Plate  43  b).  He  was  born  in  Lisbon  in  1195,  and 
died  in  Padua  in  1231,  and  was  canonized  in  1232.  He 
was  a famous  preacher,  and  a zealous  Franciscan.  He 
is  invariably  represented  with  the  Infant  Jesus  in  his  arms. 
In  tradition  the  reason  of  this  is  that  his  devotion  was  so 
intense,  and  his  love  for  the  Blessed  Babe  so  sincere,  that 
the  Holy  Mother,  to  give  him  a signal  proof  of  apprecia- 
tion of  his  devotion,  yielded  to  the  importunate  look  and 
outstretched  arms  of  her  Child  and  gave  the  Infant  into 
the  saint’s  embrace.  Thus,  with  the  ever-abiding  benison 
of  the  Child  whom  he  had  held  for  a time  in  his  arms,  he 
went  forth  to  more  zealous  and  powerful  service  for  the 
honor  and  glory  of  God  and  the  propagation  of  the  faith. 
His  day  is  June  13.  The  Santa  Barbara  figure  is  singu- 
larly pleasing,  and  the  expression  upon  the  face  is  of  a 
deeply  thoughtful,  spiritual,  tender  nature. 

Of  an  entirely  different  character  is  the  face  of  the  St. 
Anthony  shown  in  Plate  43  c.  This  is  at  San  Carlos, 
Carmelo.  There  is  neither  dignity  nor  tenderness  in  this 
face ; instead,  a kind  of  weak  simpering  that  is  effeminate 
and  displeasing. 

Plate  21  a is  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  as  shown  by 
the  book  he  has  in  his  hands.  Here  are  dignity,  benignity, 
and  sweetness,  a true  and  artistic  portrayal  of  the 
wondrous  44  Seer  of  Patmos.” 

Plate  21  b is  probably  of  St.  Stephen,  the  Proto- 
martyr. Both  this  and  Figure  21  a are  in  the  collection 
room  at  Santa  Clara.  The  main  reason  of  doubt  as  to  the 
identity  of  this  statue  — or,  in  other  words,  that  it  was 
really  meant  to  represent  St.  Stephen,  is  in  the  dress,  which 
is  rather  mediaeval  than  archaic  enough  to  coincide  with  the 
martyr’s  period  — the  Jerusalem  of  Our  Lord.  But  the 
eyes  turned  heavenward  and  the  martyr’s  palm,  taken  to- 
gether, make  it  probable  that  it  is  for  St.  Stephen. 

Saint  Louis,  Bishop  of  Toulouse  (Plate  64  c)  (1274- 
1297,  a.  d.),  son  of  Charles  II,  surnamed  the  Lame,  King 


862  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


of  Naples  and  Sicily,  was  canonized  in  1317.  His  day  is 
August  19. 

The  figure  within  the  church,  which  represents  San 
Luis,  is  young  and  fair  and  pleasing.  He  became  a Fran- 
ciscan in  1296,  in  his  twenty-third  year,  and,  as  he  died 
four  years  later,  he  must  have  been  one  of  the  youngest 
bishops  of  the  church;  and  thus  also  he  is  a junior  among 
the  saints. 

It  used  to  be  the  fashion  to  observe  the  Saint’s  Day  at 
San  Luis  Obispo,  as  elsewhere,  with  a special  fiesta.  One 
observer,  present  in  the  later  days  of  the  last  century,  has 
given  us  a vivid  picture  of  this  fiesta,  part  of  which  is 
worth  extended  quoting: 

“ We  turned  from  the  inspection  of  things  sacred  and  curious 
to  follow  the  gathering  multitude  through  the  narrow  street  to  the 
plaza  where  we  might  see  the  bull-baiting.  . . . The  small  town 
was  alive  with  people.  Matrons  and  maidens  crowded  the  side- 
walk, while  their  husbands,  brothers  and  lovers,  in  all  the  brav- 
ery of  Mexican  saddles,  jangling  spurs,  and  coiled  reatas,  charged 
up  and  down  the  one  crooked  street  upon  their  favorite  mustangs 
in  the  most  reckless  manner.  The  outer  fringe  of  the  motley 
gathering  was  composed  of  curious  spectators,  — a fair  and  rather 
mixed  contingent  composed  of  French,  Germans,  and  Americans. 

Undaunted  by  the  heat  and  glare  of  the  August  midday,  we 
waited  for  the  fight.  Arrived  at  the  place  which  had  been 
enclosed  for  the  sport,  we  found  that  seats  had  been  prepared 
for  the  ladies.  The  men  were  generally  mounted,  and  so  well 
did  they  sit  and  ride  that  horse  and  rider  seemed  one  creature. 
The  managers  of  the  performance  were  gay  and  distinguishable 
in  red  and  yellow  scarfs.  The  hum  of  voices  in  many  unfamiliar 
tongues  disturbed  the  stillness,  while  the  expectant  throng  waited 
and  simmered. 

At  last,  after  we  had  ceased  to  care  for  the  promised  ‘ show,’ 
there  was  an  uproar  of  trumpets,  tambourines,  and  voices,  and 
the  Toro  victim,  with  his  tormentors,  entered  the  enclosure. 
The  skilled  horseman  whose  duty  it  was  to  provoke  the  animals 
was  armed  with  spears  and  barbed  darts,  with  tiny  flags  attached. 
These  were  thrown  at  the  bull  to  improve  his  temper,  and  it  im- 


Plate  LXII 


ALTAU  CANDLESTICK,  $.  ALTAR  CANDLESTICK,  c.  ALTAR  CANDLESTICKS, 

SAN  LUIS  OBISPO  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO  SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 


A CHAPTER  OF  SAINTS 


363 

proved  with  each  admonitory  sting.  A few  footmen  were  in  the 
enclosure,  armed  with  dark-colored  blankets.  It  was  their  part 
to  divert  the  maddened  creature  and  throw  the  blanket  over  his 
head  in  case  of  danger.  One  at  a time,  some  twenty  bulls  were 
brought  into  the  corral.  Some  ignored  the  hostility  of  the  enemy, 
and  others  accepted  the  challenge  and  fought  until  exhausted.” 

In  the  account  from  which  the  foregoing  was  quoted, 
the  impression  was  given  throughout  that  the  bull  fight 
was  part  of  the  honors  to  the  saint.  A scholarly  Catholic 
priest  at  one  of  the  old  Missions  protests  against  this  idea, 
asserting  that  “ the  Catholic  Church  never  counselled,  much 
less  introduced,  bull  fights.  At  most  she  simply  tolerated 
them  as  a fond  mother’s  concession  to  her  little  ones,  that 
they  might  not  deem  her  rule  too  hard.” 

San  Juan  Capistrano  was  born  at  the  town  of  the  same 
name  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples  in  1385.  He  was  educated 
' as  a lawyer,  became  a judge,  and  in  1415  entered  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order.  He  became  noted  for  his  austerity,  his  zeal 
for  the  preservation  of  the  true  faith,  and  his  diplomacy, 
travelling  extensively  in  Europe  on  business  of  the  Pope. 
He  was  one  of  the  high  officials  of  the  Inquisition,  and  also 
preached  to  the  Crusaders  while  they  were  on  their  arduous 
marches.  With  the  cross  in  hand  which  he  had  received 
from  the  Pope,  he  animated  the  Christian  forces  before 
Belgrade  and  was  present  when  they  entered  the  town  in 
1456.  He  died  in  October  of  that  year,  and  was  canonized 
in  1690.  His  day  is  the  23d  of  October.  As  an  author 
of  ecclesiastical  works  he  is  also  worthy  of  note.  The  figure 
of  San  Juan  (Plate  43  d)  shows  him  with  a book  in  his  left 
hand,  and  outstretched  right  hand,  as  if  arguing  or  dis- 
puting on  some  matter  of  importance,  as  he  is  said  to  have 
done  against  the  Hussites. 

Plate  20  c is  of  Santa  Lucia  in  an  attitude  of  devo- 
tion. Her  name  is  borne  by  the  range  of  mountains  that 
separates  the  region  of  San  Luis  Obispo  from  the  Valley 
of  the  Salinas. 


364  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


At  Santa  Ines,  the  chief  figure  in  the  centre  of  the  rere- 
dos  is  that  of  the  patron  saint.  She  was  martyred  by 
beheading  in  Rome  in  the  year  304.  Bancroft  says  this 
occurred  when  Agnes  was  but  thirteen  years  of  age,  which 
agrees  with  the  authority  of  Alban  Butler’s  “ Lives  of  the 
Saints,”  vol.  i.,  under  January  21.  Butler  cites  St.  Am- 
brose and  St.  Austin  for  thirteen. 

At  that  age,  the  son  of  Sempronius,  prefect  of  Rome 
at  the  time,  desired  to  marry  her,  but  she  answered  him, 
as  well  as  all  other  suitors,  that  she  had  consecrated  her 
virginity  to  a heavenly  spouse,  who  could  not  be  be- 
held by  mortal  eyes.  Sempronius,  the  father,  enraged  at 
her  resolution  and  constancy,  ruthlessly  delivered  her 
up  to  profligates,  all  of  whom,  however,  save  one,  were 
so  awed  by  coming  in  sight  of  the  saint  at  her  prayers, 
that  they  durst  not  approach.  But  that  foolish  youth, 
attempting  to  be  rude  to  her,  was  instantly  struck  blind 
from  Heaven.  But  the  good  Agnes,  compassionating 
his  misfortune,  by  prayer  restored  him  to  his  sight  and 
health. 

The  figure  at  Santa  Ines  is  certainly  of  a person  much 
older  than  thirteen  years  of  age,  but  this  is  doubtless  an 
anachronism  of  art.  Over  four  feet  in  height,  the  statue  is 
quite  heavy,  and  when  the  kindly  lay  brother  at  the  Mis- 
sion aided  me  in  lifting  it  from  its  elevated  position,  he 
could  not  help  commenting  on  its  weight;  and  then,  as  if 
he  had  somehow  said  that  which  would  be  displeasing  to  the 
dear  saint,  he  caressed  the  figure  with  his  hands  and  a soft 
and  pleading  voice  whispered  “ Santa  Ines  Hermosa  ” — 
Beautiful  Saint  Agnes.  No  doubt  the  sweet-spirited  saint 
heard  and  forgave  him  for  any  pain  his  recognition  of  her 
great  weight  may  have  given  her.  In  her  right  hand  she 
holds  what  evidently  represents  the  feather  palm  symbol  of 
martyrdom,  a feather  being  the  best  temporary  substitute 
at  hand.  In  her  left  hand  she  bears  a lamb,  symbol  of  her 
name,  Agnes  in  Latin,  and  also  of  her  virginal  purity  and 


A CHAPTER  OF  SAINTS 


365 


innocence.  These  are  added  to  the  figure  (Plate  20  d) 
when  it  occupies  its  elevated  position.  The  feast  of  St. 
Agnes  occurs  on  January  21.  Both  the  Roman  Breviary 
and  the  Bollandists’  46  Acte  Sanctorum  ” confirm  thirteen 
as  the  age  at  which  she  was  martyred. 

San  Francisco  Solano,  the  missionary  to  the  Indians,  was 
born  at  Monsilia,  in  Andalucia,  March,  1549.  In  his 
youth  he  studied  with  the  Jesuits,  but  when  twenty  years 
of  age  he  joined  the  Franciscan  Order  in  his  native  town. 
He  requested  to  be  sent  as  a missionary  to  Peru.  A fear- 
ful storm  arose,  and  the  vessel  was  driven  upon  a rocky 
shore.  The  captain  wanted  Francis  to  come  into  his  life- 
boat, but  the  devoted  priest  refused  to  leave  some  pagans 
who  were  on  board.  He  instructed  them  as  well  as  circum- 
stances would  allow,  baptized  them  hurriedly  in  the  midst 
of  the  storm,  and  thus  prepared  them  for  death.  How- 
ever, by  the  efficacy  of  his  prayers  they  weathered  the 
storm  and  were  saved.  Francis  labored  long  thereafter 
for  the  aborigines  in  Peru,  until  his  death  which  occurred 
July  14,  1610.  He  was  canonized  in  1726.  His  festival 
takes  place  July  24.  An  extended  life  of  St.  Francis 
Solano  is  given  in  44  The  Bollandists,”  vol.  5,  of  the  month 
of  July,  under  July  24. 

San  Carlos  Borromeo  was  the  son  of  Gilbert  Borromeo, 
Count  of  Arona.  He  was  a nephew  of  Pope  Pius  IV,  and 
was  born  at  Arona,  near  Milan,  Italy,  in  1538 ; was  ap- 
pointed Archbishop  of  Milan  in  1560,  and  not  long  after 
created  Cardinal.  He  died  in  1584,  and  was  canonized  in 
1610  by  Pope  Paul  V.  His  day  is  November  4. 

San  Diego  de  Alcala  (St.  James  of  Alcala)  was  an  An- 
dalusian Franciscan,  who  lived  from  1400  to  1463,  and  was 
canonized  in  1588  by  Pope  Sixtus  V,  for  his  saintly  and 
heroic  life,  and  confirmed  by  miracles  wrought  through 
him  before  and  after  his  death.  His  day  is  November  13. 
The  saint’s  surname,  Alcala,  was  seldom  attached  to  the 
name  of  his  Mission  in  popular  usage. 


366  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Santa  Barbara  was  the  daughter  of  Dioscorus,  who 
lived  in  Asia  Minor.  Being  an  idolater  and  hating  the 
new  religion,  he  gave  his  daughter,  who  had  become  a 
Christian,  to  the  torture,  and  then  beheaded  her  with  his 
own  hand,  angered  at  her  steady  adherence  to  the  new 
faith.  The  unfortunate  man  soon  paid  the  penalty  of  his 
cruel  act  for  immediately  thereafter  he  was  struck  by 
lightning.  The  protection  of  Santa  Barbara,  therefore,  is 
often  invoked  by  sailors  as  a safeguard  against  the  fury 
of  lightning  during  the  storms  to  which  they  are  so  fre- 
quently exposed  on  the  high  seas.  Santa  Barbara’s  day  is 
December  4.  Her  martyrdom  occurred  at  Nicomedia, 
about  the  year  240. 

Of  St.  Francis  (San  Francisco  de  Asis)  one  would  enjoy 
writing  a whole  chapter.  He  is  worthy  of  note,  not  only 
because  he  founded  the  religious  order  which  bears  his 
name,  but  also  because,  as  it  were,  he  has  lived  his  beautiful 
life  over  and  over  again  in  the  lives  of  the  many  great  and 
worthy  men  who  have  been  members  of  his  illustrious  order. 
Francis  was  born  at  Assisi,  in  Umbria,  Italy,  in  1182,  in 
a stable,  his  pious  mother  having  thus,  by  divine  monition, 
secured  a safe  delivery.  On  his  right  shoulder  was  a birth 
mark  of  a cross,  which  the  faithful  deem  was  placed  there 
by  an  angel  at  the  time  of  his  birth. 

After  a somewhat  vain  and  frivolous  life,  which,  however, 
never  found  vent  in  unrestrained  waywardness,  he  was 
taken  prisoner  in  a local  war.  The  captivity  which  followed, 
and  a prolonged  illness,  tempered  and  subdued  his  spirit  to 
a better  mood,  and  it  was  then  that  his  future  vocation  was 
revealed  to  him  in  a dream.  Thus  divinely  enlightened  and 
changed  to  a better  self,  he  began  to  carry  out  his  formed 
plan  of  a more  worthy  and  Christian  life.  His  father,  on 
this  account,  endeavored  to  have  him  adjudged  insane. 
He  on  his  part,  gladly  gave  up  all  claim  to  the  paternal 
inheritance,  and,  retiring  to  the  convent  of  Portiuncula, 
near  Assisi,  laid  the  foundations  for  hisf  great  order* 


A CHAPTER  OF  SAINTS 


367 


which,  approved  by  the  Pope  in  1209,  1210,  and  1221,  in 
a few  years  numbered  many  thousands  of  members. 

In  1219,  Francis,  accompanied  by  Blessed  Illuminatus 
of  Reate,  and  other  companions  from  Ancona,  set  sail  for 
Egypt  and  there  joined,  as  missionaries,  the  Sixth  Cru- 
sade, which  was  then  besieging  Babylon  on  the  Nile,  the 
modern  Grand  Cairo.  Fearless  in  the  cause  of  Christ, 
Francis  passed  into  the  Saracen  camp  to  preach  the  gospel 
to  the  heathen  his  brethren  were  fighting ; and  the  Sultan, 
admiring  his  intrepid  zeal,  would  not  allow  him  to  be  in- 
jured. Many  miracles  are  recorded  as  having  been  worked 
by  and  through  him.  But  by  far  the  most  remarkable  was 
the  reception,  while  in  a state  of  ecstasy,  through  the  me- 
dium of  an  angel,  of  the  stigmata  of  Jesus,  — the  sacred 
wounds  of  the  nails  and  spear.  These  are  painted,  it  will  be 
remembered,  upon  the  mortuary  chapel  at  San  Luis  Rey. 
Though  St.  Francis  was  in  feeble  health  after  he  returned 
from  Egypt,  he  still  kept  on  preaching  until  his  death  on 
October  4,  1226.  Two  years  later,  1228,  he  was  canonized 
by  Pope  Gregory  IX.  His  festival  is  celebrated  Octo- 
ber 4. 

The  16th  of  April  is  the  day  of  the  profession  of  St. 
Francis  ; so  on  that  day  all  members  of  the  order  renew  their 
vows.  It  is  also  a day  celebrated  in  the  Franciscan  Order, 
in  honor  of  the  Holy  Archangel  San  Rafael,  as  the  patron 
of  travellers,  though  his  principal  day  is  October  24. 

Santa  Clara  was  a native  of  the  same  town  as  St. 
Francis.  She  was  born  in  1193,  of  noble  parents,  and 
lived  the  ordinary  frivolous  life  of  her  class,  until,  when 
about  19  years  old,  she  was  converted  by  the  example  and 
preaching  of  St.  Francis.  Retiring  at  once  to  the  con- 
vent of  Portiuncula,  whither  her  example  drew  both  her 
mother  and  her  sister,  she  soon  became  as  famous  for 
her  austerity  and  piety  as  before  she  had  been  for  her  wit 
and  beauty.  In  conjunction  with  her  saintly  neighbor,  she 
founded  the  second  order  of  St.  Francis,  namely  a sister- 


368  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


hood  bearing  her  name,  and  often  known  as  “ The  Poor 
Clares.”  She  died  in  1253  and  was  canonized  in  1255. 
Her  day  is  the  12th  of  August. 

The  first  order  of  St.  Francis  is  that  to  which  all  the 
Franciscan  priests  belong.  They  take  the  vow  of  perpetual 
chastity,  poverty,  and  obedience,  and  are  banded  together 
in  brotherhoods. 

The  second  order  is  that  of  St.  Clare  (Santa  Clara)  and 
is  of  women  who  take  the  same  vows  as  the  men,  and  are 
banded  together  in  sisterhoods. 

The  third  order  is  of  laymen,  living  in  the  world  and 
carrying  on  their  regular  work,  but  who  have  taken  the 
same  vows  as  the  priests. 

Neustra  Senora  de  la  Soledad  — Our  Lady  of  Solitude 

— is  the  name  given  to  the  Holy  Virgin  in  her  period  of 
solitude.  While  Christ  was  going  through  the  stages  of 
the  Passion  she  was  “ Our  Lady  of  Sorrows  ” — Dolores 

— but  during  the  three  days  f rom  F riday  until  the  Sun- 
day morning  of  the  resurrection,  when  he  arose  from  the 
dead,  she  was  in  “ loneliness,”  and  so  she  became  Our  Lady 
of  Solitude.  La  Soledad  Mission  is  named  for  her,  and  her 
day,  under  this  special  title,  is  commemorated  in  some 
places  on  Good  Friday  in  Holy  Week,  and  in  others  on 
Holy  Saturday  of  the  same  week. 

Roman  Catholics  also  have  Holy  Days  dedicated  to  per- 
sonages and  mysteries,  and  also  to  sacred  objects  as  well 
as  to  saints.  Among  such  festivals,  as  has  been  shown, 
are  the  days  of  the  Holy  Archangels  Gabriel,  Miguel 
(Michael)  and  Rafael.  Another  sacred  day  is  that  of 
December  8,  dedicated  to  the  holy  mystery  of  the  Immacu- 
late Conception  — La  Purisima  Concepcion  — and  a Mis- 
sion bearing  this  name  was  established  in  the  California 
chain. 

Belonging  to  this  same  class  are  the  two  festivals  in 
honor  of  the  Santa  Cruz  — the  Holy  Cross  — of  Christ, 
for  which  another  Mission  was  named.  One  of  these  festi- 


A CHAPTER  OF  SAINTS 


369 


vals,  the  44  Invention,”  or  the  finding  of  the  Cross  by  the 
Empress  Sant  Helena,  mother  of  Constantine  the  Great, 
at  Jerusalem,  in  the  year  3 26,  occurs  on  May  3,  and  the 
other,  that  of  the  44  Exaltation  99  of  the  Holy  Cross,  on 
September  14. 

San  Juan  Bautista  — St.  John  Baptist  — scarcely 
needs  any  comment,  his  history  in  the  New  Testament  be- 
ing so  well  known.  His  day  is  June  24. 

San  Fernando,  Rey  de  Espagna,  — St.  Ferdinand  was 
the  third  king  of  Spain  of  that  name.  He  reigned  from 
1217  to  1252,  and  under  his  reign  the  crowns  of  Castile 
and  Leon  were  united.  He  was  canonized  in  1671  by  Pope 
Clement  X.  His  day  is  May  30. 

Another  king  is  Saint  Louis  IX  of  France,  whose  name, 
San  Luis  Rey,  is  given  to  the  noble  pile  second  in  the  Mis- 
sion chain.  San  Luis  reigned  from  1226  to  1270,  and 
earned  his  reputation  for  piety  both  at  home  and  abroad 
in  the  Crusades.  He  was  canonized  by  Pope  Boniface 
VIII,  in  1297,  in  the  reign  of  his  grandson,  Philip  the 
Fair.  His  day  is  August  25. 


370  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

THE  PIOUS  FUND  OF  CALIFORNIA/ 

IT  is  singular  how  hidden  things  come  to  light. 
Nothing  more  clearly  exemplifies  this  than  the  history 
of  the  “ Pious  Fund  ” of  California.  The  personage 
who  brought  the  history  of  this  fund  to  light  is  John  T. 
Doyle,  a fine  old  American  gentleman,  now  residing  at 
Menlo  Park,  Cal.  It  was  a personal  joy  when  he  kindly 
consented  to  outline  the  story  of  the  original  founding  of 
the  fund;  its  various  vicissitudes  up  to  its  confiscation  by 
Santa  Anna,  the  Mexican  dictator;  the  modern  discovery 
of  the  claim  the  Catholic  Church  of  California  had  upon  it ; 
the  presentation  of  that  claim ; the  various  obstacles  met  in 
furthering  it;  the  award  by  Sir  Edward  Thornton,  the 
umpire  appointed  to  decide  the  case ; the  payment  of  over 
$900,000  by  Mexico  in  consequence  of  that  award.  Then 
the  failure  of  Mexico  to  pay  the  annual  instalments  of  in- 
terest implied  in  that  award;  the  various  efforts  made  to 
secure  diplomatic  action  upon  it  in  Mexico  by  our  State 
department ; the  final  submission  of  the  case  to  the  Hague 
tribunal  through  the  efforts  of  Secretary  John  Hay ; and 
the  final  award.  Here,  indeed,  was  history  at  first  hand. 

Though  I should  much  like  to  present  the  whole  story 
in  extenso  the  limits  of  this  book  will  prevent  more  than  a 
brief  synopsis. 

That  such  a fund  existed  was  well  known  generally  to 
many  old  Californians  in  the  early  days  of  American  occu- 
pation of  the  Golden  State,  and  in  1851  the  State  Senate 
endeavored  to  find  out  something  definite  about  it. 

These  legislators,  however,  were  ignorant  of  the  exist- 


Plate  LXIII 


a.  ASPERGER  OF  MOORISH  DESIGN 


c.  ASPERGER  AT  SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA 


b.  ASPERGER  AT  MONTEREY 


d.  FONT  AT  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO 


THE  PIOUS  FUND 


371 


ence  of  Palou’s  and  Gigedo’s  and  Ramirez’s  reports,  and 
of  the  letters  and  reports  of  Galvez,  all  of  which  later  re- 
search has  made  familiar  to  all  students.  The  result  of 
their  ignorance  was  a discouraging  report,  though  there 
seemed  to  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  existence  of  the  fund. 

Late  in  1853  Mr.  Doyle  was  associated  with  Hon.  Eu- 
gene Casserly  in  prosecuting  before  the  U.  S.  Land  Com- 
mission a petition  of  the  Rt.  Rev.  Joseph  A.  Alemany, 
Bishop  of  Monterey,  for  the  confirmation  of  the  title  of 
the  Catholic  Church  of  California  to  the  Church  edifices, 
cemeteries,  Mission  buildings,  orchards,  vineyards,  etc.,  of 
the  old  Missions.  Now  I let  Mr.  Doyle  tell  his  own  story: 

“ One  day  he  brought  to  me  a small  package  of  papers  he  had 
found  in  one  of  the  church’s  safes,  saying  that  they  appeared  to 
relate  to  the  missing  Pious  Fund.  He  desired  me  to  look  them 
over  carefully  and  see  if  there  was  any  justification  or  basis  for  a 
claim  against  the  United  States  for  the  recovery  of  any  of  that 
fund. 

“ The  papers  turned  out  to  be  correspondence  in  a cramped, 
crabbed  hand  on  flimsy  paper  and  considerably  dilapidated, 
being  fastened  together,  woman  fashion,  with  a needle  and 
thread.  On  careful  examination  I found  them  to  be  corres- 
pondence between  Don  Pedro  Ramirez,  the  commissioner  who 
held  the  funds  in  trust  at  the  time  they  were  confiscated  by  the 
government.  He  was  evidently  a conservative  and  business-like 
man,  for  he  had  made  out  a complete  list  of  all  the  property  and 
funds  transferred,  and  had  required  a receipt  from  the  govern- 
ment official  to  whom  he  relinquished  his  charge.  These  papers 
led  me  to  give  the  Bishop  my  opinion  that  there  was  no  claim 
against  the  United  States,  but  that  there  might  be  some  against 
Mexico. 

“The  matter  then  dropped.  In  1857,  in  April,  I had  pur- 
chased my  steamer  ticket  for  New  York.  I was  going  back 
East,  indeed  had  about  made  up  my  mind  to  leave  California  for 
good,  when  the  Archbishop,  in  company  with  Bishop  Amat, 
called  on  me  and  asked  if  I would  undertake  the  case  against 
the  Mexican  government. 

“ I consulted  with  my  partner,  Eugene  Casserly,  and  gave 


372  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


him  an  outline  of  the  case  and  said  I was  willing  if  he  was,  and 
that  if,  after  due  consideration,  he  thought  it  well  to  go  ahead, 
he  might  make  the  suggested  contract  and  sign  my  name  to  it. 

“This  was  eventually  done.  In  the  meantime  I went  East 
and  remained  there  five  years.  As  soon  as  I learned  of  the 
signing  of  the  contract  I began  to  read  everything  on  Mexican 
Mission  history  I could  lay  my  hand  on  in  order  to  find  out  what 
I could  as  to  the  founding  of  the  fund,  what  it  originally  con- 
sisted of,  how  it  was  used,  when  and  how  it  was  diverted,  etc., 
and  it  was  astonishing  what  I did  find.  A little  here,  and  little 
there,  — one  thing  suggesting  another,  one  clue  leading  to  a 
further  and  more  important  one,  I soon  gathered  a good  deal. 

“ Once  on  the  right  track  I followed  its  history  until  I had  it 
clear  enough  to  lay  before  any  responsible  tribunal.  I found 
that  it  was  owing  to  the  endeavors  of  the  Jesuit  padres  Kino  and 
Salvatierra,  to  establish  missions  in  Lower  California  that  the 
fund  was  contributed  by  the  faithful.  By  means  of  this  fund 
the  missions  were  established  and  largely  supported.  When, 
after  many  years  of  administration  the  Jesuits  were  inhumanly 
expelled  from  all  the  provinces  of  Spain,  the  missions  in  Lower 
California  were  placed  under  the  control  of  the  Franciscans,  and 
the  Spanish  king’s  Visitador  General,  Galvez,  arranged  with  the 
new  president  of  the  missions,  Junipero  Serra,  to  establish  new 
missions  in  Alta  or  Upper  California.  For  that  purpose  he  drew 
largely  on  the  Pious  Fund.  On  February  12,  1772,  Padre  Fran- 
cisco Palou  reported  to  the  Superior  of  the  Convent  San  Fer- 
nando in  the  city  of  Mexico,  Fray  Juan  Roman  de  Mora,  the 
financial  status  of  the  Pious  Fund  as  follows  : 

“ Copy  of  the  pious  works  founded  by  the  different  individuals  for  the 
purpose  of  the  spiritual  conquest  of  the  Californias  : 

Year 

1698.  Don  Juan  Caballero  founded  the  first  mission,  and  for  this 

purpose  gave $10,000 

1699.  the  same  founded  the  second 10,000 

1700.  Don  Nicolas  Artega  founded  the  third,  and  furnished  the 

same  amount 10,000 

1702.  different  individuals  through  Father  Jose  Vidal,  Jesuit, 

the  fourth 7,000 

1704.  the  Marquis  de  Villapuente  founded  the  fifth  in  the  sum  of  10,000 

1709.  the  same  founded  the  sixth  in 10,000 

1713.  the  same  founded  the  seventh  in 10,000 


THE  PIOUS  FUND 


373 


Year 

1718.  His  Excellency,  Don  Juan  Ruiz  de  Velasco  founded  the 

eighth  in $10,000 

1719.  The  Marquis  de  Villapuente  founded  the  ninth  in  . . . 10,000 

1725.  the  Jesuit,  Father  Juan  Maria  Luyando,  founded  the 

tenth  in 10,000 

1731.  Dona  Maria  Rosa  de  la  Pena  donated  to  one  of  the  missions 

of  Villapuente 10,000 

1746.  the  Marquis  de  Villapuente  founded  the  eleventh  in  . . 10,000 

1747.  The  Most  Excellent  Dona  Maria  de  Boya,  Duchess  of 

Gaudia,  instituted  the  missions  of  California  as  her 

heirs,  but  they  have  only  received 62,000 

Total  of  donations $179,000 

Balances  found  at  the  time  of  the  Expulsion  of  the  Jesuits: 

In  cash  found  in  the  Atty  Genl’s  office  of  California  at 

the  expulsion 

Value  of  merchandise  found  in  the  same  office 
Value  of  merchandise  in  warehouse  of  Loretto 
Total  balances 


$92,000.00 
27,255.75 
79,377.37* 
$199. 733.12* 

Loans  made  by  the  Attorney  General’s  office  of  California  of  the  capitals 
of  said  missions  as  appears  by  the  corresponding  instruments  — 

To  the  College  of  San  Idlefonso  in  city  of  Puebla,  at  3* 

per  cent $22,000 

To  the  College  of  San  Ignacio  in  the  city  of  Puebla,  at  4 

per  cent 5,000 

To  the  College  of  San  Pedro  and  San  Pablo  in  the  city  of 

Mexico  without  int 29,000 

To  the  College  of  San  Idlefonso  in  the  city  of  Puebla  at  3 

per  cent 23,000 

To  the  College  of  San  Geronimo  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  at  3 

per  cent 38,500 

To  the  College  of  San  Idlefonso  in  the  city  of  Puebla,?  at  3 

per  cent 9,000 

Total  loans $126,600 

Recapitulation  : 

Total  of  donations $179,000.00 

Total  of  balances  on  hand 199,033.12* 

Total  of  loans 126,600.00 

Grand  total ”$504,633. 12* 

“ This  report  was  made  on  account  of  another  royal  order  to 
the  effect  that  the  Dominicans  were  to  take  charge  of  one-half 
of  the  missions  formerly  controlled  by  the  Jesuits.  Accordingly 
the  Franciscans  and  Dominicans  made  an  agreement  by  which 
the  latter  were  to  assume  charge  of  the  missions  of  Lower  Cali- 


374  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


fornia,  and  the  Franciscans  proceeded  to  the  establishment  of 
new  ones  in  Alta  California.  The  income  and  product  of  the 
Pious  Fund  was  thereafter  appropriated  to  the  missions  of  both 
orders. 

“ In  1793,  April  12,  the  great  viceroy,  Gigedo,  reported  upon 
the  Funds  and  pays  a high  tribute  to  the  fidelity  with  which  the 
Jesuits  administered  them.  He  says:  f After  they  were  man- 
aged by  outsiders  they  began  to  decrease.  Viceroy  Flores 
[Gigedo’s  predecessor]  had  placed  them  in  the  hands  of  the  two 
magistrates  of  the  royal  treasury,  but  this  measure  far  from  pro- 
ducing any  good,  was  fast  precipitating  the  funds  to  utter  ruin, 
and  that  they  could  be  saved  only  by  an  active,  intelligent,  and 
zealous  general  manager,  who  should  frequently  inspect  the 
estates  and  be  capable  of  developing  their  resources  and  dis- 
posing at  a fair  price  of  the  products  ; and  who  also  should  keep 
watch  over  the  conduct  of  the  subaltern  administrators.’  He 
also  reported  that : f The  landed  properties  of  the  special  funds 
are  valued  at  $527,500  ; its  capitals  loaned  out  on  interest  amount 
to  $188,000;  therefore  the  total  is  the  large  sum  of  $715,500, 
whose  yearly  interest  at  the  rate  of  five  per  cent,  should  be 
$35,575.  The  missionaries  receive  every  year  a little  above 
$22,000;  consequently  a balance  should  remain  of  $12,000  to 
$13,000  to  be  used  for  the  establishment  of  new  missions, 
traveling  expenses  and  transportation  of  the  missionaries  by 
land  and  water.’  Gigedo  also  clearly  avows  that  the  Pious 
Fund  was  collected  by  the  priests. 

“ These  missions  were  founded  and  maintained  at  the  expense 
of  the  capitals  which  the  zeal  and  apostolic  labors  of  the  afore- 
mentioned fathers  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  had  acquired  for  the 
purpose  of  effecting  the  spiritual  conquest  of  the  California  In- 
dians. The  principal  benefactors,  and  founders  of  these  special 
funds  were  the  Marquis  de  Villapuente  and  the  Marchioness 
de  las  Torres  de  Rada.” 

Of  the  establishment  of  the  California  Missions  by 
Serra,  all  detail  may  be  left  out  of  Mr.  Doyle’s  narrative. 
The  following  is  his  history  of  the  fund. 

“ After  Mexico  declared  her  independence  of  Spain,  the  fund 
was  taken  in  trust  by  the  new  government  and  when  in  1836, 
Sept.  19,  it  passed  an  act  attaching  an  endowment  of  $6,000  per 


Plate  LXFV 


SAN  BUENAVENTURA,  MISSION  0UR  LADY  OF  SORROWS,  PRESIDIO  CHURCH. 

SAN  JOSE  MONTEREY 


THE  PIOUS  FUND 


375 


year  to  a new  bishopric,  which  it  prayed  the  Holy  Father  to 
establish  for  Upper  and  Lower  California,  it  also  conceded  to 
the  new  bishop  when  appointed,  and  his  successors,  the  admin- 
istration and  disposal  of  the  Pious  Fund.  Accordingly  Garcia 
Diego  was  made  bishop  and  the  Fund  was  administered  by  him, 
until  Feb.  8,  1842,  Santa  Anna,  then  President  of  the  Republic 
of  Mexico,  withdrew  the  management  from  the  bishop,  and  on 
Oct.  24  of  the  same  year  ordered  the  property  to  be  sold,  the 
proceeds  turned  into  the  public  treasury,  from  which  he  pledged 
to  pay  to  the  church  annually  the  sum  of  six  per  cent  of  the 
sum  so  contributed. 

" In  accordance  with  this  decree  the  property  was  sold  for  a 
sum  approximating  two  millions  of  dollars.  When,  by  the  treaty 
of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  Upper  California  became  a part  of  the 
United  States  of  America  the  interest  on  this  fund  still  inhered 
to  the  church  in  Upper  California,  and,  inasmuch  as  what  arrears 
were  due  up  to  the  time  of  that  treaty  were  due  to  the  Catholic 
Church  of  California  as  a Mexican  province,  and,  therefore,  not 
subject  to  the  interference  of  the  United  States,  after  that 
treaty  they  were  due  to  the  Church  of  California  as  a part  of  the 
United  States  and,  therefore,  were  eminently  subject  to  such 
interference. 

"Here  you  have  practically  the  whole  of  my  case  and  its 
argument  for  the  Catholic  Church  in  all  the  subsequent  pro- 
ceedings. 

"In  1859  I presented  the  matter  to  the  Hon.  Lewis  Cass, 
then  Secretary  of  State,  requesting  the  interposition  of  the 
United  States  to  aid  my  clients  in  obtaining  justice  from  Mexico, 
and  as  the  object  was  rather  to  put  the  claim  on  file  in  the  de- 
partment than  the  expectation  of  any  immediate  result,  I made 
my  claim  in  very  general  terms,  not  undertaking  to  define  what 
specific  redress  was  asked  for.  Mr.  Cass  rather  thought  the 
claim  released  by  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  and  I prom- 
ised to  submit  to  him  at  a future  time  an  argument  to  show  that 
was  not  so.  Thus  the  case  stood  open  until  1870.  In  the 
meantime  I continued  to  read  every  Mexican  publication  that 
I could  obtain  until  I had  at  last  found  out  pretty  much  all 
about  the  Pious  Fund,  and  was  enabled  to  write  its  history  as 
fully  as  needed  for  the  instruction  of  any  tribunal  that  might  be 
called  on  to  pass  on  our  claim. 


37 6 THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


In  1863  circumstances  again  called  me  to  California  where  I 
resumed  practice.  In  1868  Mr.  Casserly  was  elected  to  the 
Senate  and  took  his  seat  in  that  body  March  4th,  1869.  Down 
to  that  time  I had  been  accustomed  at  the  close  of  each  session 
to  look  through  the  treaties  published  with  the  acts  of  Congress 
for  any  possible  claims  convention  with  Mexico,  but  on  the  elec- 
tion of  my  associate  to  the  Senate  my  vigilance  relaxed,  and 
the  convention  of  1868  was  concluded  and  commissioners  under 
it  were  appointed  without  my  knowledge.  My  associate,  how- 
ever, was  retained  in  some  cases  before  the  commission,  and  in 
them  engaged  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Nathaniel  Wilson,  then 
recently  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Washington.  He  took  no  action 
in  the  Pious  Fund  case,  for  which  reason  I am  led  to  believe 
that  he  had  forgotten  all  about  our  retainer  in  it. 

“And  now  here  occurs  a remarkable  event.  On  Sunday, 
March  27,  1870,  I picked  up  a New  York  paper  and  accidentally 
saw  a paragraph  to  the  effect  that  Wednesday,  March  30,  would 
be  the  last  day  that  claims  could  be  presented  before  the  Am- 
erican and  Mexican  Commission  then  sitting  in  Washington. 
It  gave  me  quite  a shock  ! What  commission  ? I did  not  even 
know  that  a commission  had  been  appointed.  I was  here  at 
Menlo  Park  and  could  get  no  conveyance  to  take  me  to  San 
Francisco,  so  had  to  wait  impatiently  until  Monday.  As  soon  as 
I arrived  I hunted  up  a copy  of  the  Convention  of  July  4,  1868, 
between  the  two  governments,  and  saw  that,  according  to  its 
terms,  a demand  for  the  restoration  of  the  fund  as  a whole  could 
never  be  maintained.  The  claim  must  be  framed  otherwise. 
Both  my  clients  were  away  in  Europe  ; there  was  no  one  to 
consult  with  on  this  new  phase  of  the  case,  and  I had  to  decide 
my  course  on  my  own  responsibility. 

“ Many  complications  arose  from  my  associate  in  Washington, 
— who  had  not  given  an  iota  of  the  time  to  the  study  of  the 
case  that  I had,  — altering  one  of  the  chief  points,  indeed  the 
main  one,  of  my  pleading  not  only  without  consulting,  but 
actually  without  apprising  me.  But  even  with  these  complica- 
tions the  cause  was  so  clear  that  when  it  finally  came  to  the 
umpire  — owing  to  the  differences  in  opinion  of  the  commission- 
ers— he  awarded  us  finally  $904,070  in  Mexican  gold  dollars. 
This  sum  was  duly  paid  by  Mexico  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of 
the  convention.  This  may  be  called  the  end  of  the  first  battle. 


THE  PIOUS  FUND 


377 


“In  1882,  1883  and  1884  Archbishop  Alemany  informed  me 
that,  while  this  award  had  been  paid,  Mexico  had  avoided  the 
payment  of  any  further  annual  interest,  which  this  first  award 
clearly  implied  as  a perpetual  charge.  He  asked  me  to  under- 
take the  case  again  and  press  it  to  a conclusion,  but  owing  to  a 
variety  of  causes  practically  over  twenty  years  elapsed  and 
nothing  was  done  except  in  a diplomatic  way  to  seek  the  en- 
forcement of  payment,  and  only  slight  progress  was  made ; 
enough,  however,  to  keep  the  question  alive  between  the  two 
countries.  Then  came  the  foundation  of  the  Hague  tribunal, 
and  here,  at  once,  I saw  a chance  for  its  final  adjudication.  I 
proposed  to  the  Archbishop  that  we  submit  the  case  to  that  tri- 
bunal. He  agreed.  I wrote  to  Secretary  Hay,  and  it  must  be 
confessed  that  his  exceeding  cleverness  in  presenting  the  mat- 
ter won  us  that  long  deferred  interest.  He  got  the  Mexican 
government  to  agree  to  a submission  of  the  case  and  that 
neither  Mexicans  nor  Americans  should  be  on  the  jury.  That 
one  clause  satisfied  me  that  we  should  win.  I was  absolutely 
certain  that  no  jury  of  impartial  outsiders  but  would  decide  in 
our  favor. 

“ As  you  know,  the  case  was  formally  presented.  The  arbi- 
trators named  by  the  United  States  were  Sir  Edward  Fry  of 
England  and  Professor  F.  de  Martens  of  Russia.  Those  nomi- 
nated by  Mexico  were  Messrs.  J.  M.  C.  Asser  and  F.  de  Savornin 
Lohman,  both  of  Holland,  and  these  gentlemen  promptly  agreed 
on  Professor  Henry  Matzen  of  Denmark  as  their  President  and 
Umpire.  The  case  on  the  part  of  Mexico  was  managed  by 
Senor  Don  Emilio  Pardo,  an  eminent  jurisconsult  of  the  Mexican 
capital,  who  was  accredited  to  Her  Majesty  the  Queen  of  Hol- 
land as  Minister  Plenipotentiary  of  his  country.  He  associated 
with  himself  as  counsel  Messrs.  Beerwaert  and  Delacroix,  local 
counsel  of  distinction,  and  Archbishop  Riordan  retained  Mr. 
Descamps,  also  of  the  local  bar. 

“ The  court  with  little  delay,  and  unanimously,  decided  that 
the  whole  controversy  was  controlled  by  the  former  decision, 
under  the  governing  principle  of  res  judica,  and  consequently 
awarded  us  our  whole  demand  of  $1,420,682.67,  being  thirty- 
three  annual  instalments  of  interest  of  $43,050.99  then  in  arrear, 
and  adjudged  that  the  last  named  amount  be  paid  to  us  annually 
thereafter  in  perpetuity.” 


378  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


In  a letter  received  from  the  Coadjutor  Archbishop  of 
San  Francisco,  George  Montgomery,  he  reports  that  the 
annuity  has  thus  far  been  paid  regularly.  “ This  payment, 
as  the  others  were,  is  made  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Arch- 
bishop of  San  Francisco,  acting  for  the  other  bishops,  by 
power  of  attorney.  The  same  use  is  made  of  these  moneys 
as  of  the  others,  in  accordance  with  the  purposes  for  which 
the  original  donors  made  the  bequests.” 


THE  CAMINO  REAL 


379 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

THE  CAMINO  REAL 

IT  is  generally  taken  for  granted  that  the  original  plan 
of  Padre  Serra  was  to  establish  a chain  of  Missions  in 
California  a day’s  journey  apart.  The  number  of  the 
Indians  and  their  location  seemed  peculiarly  adapted  to 
this  plan.  In  travelling  to  and  fro,  prior  to,  and  during 
their  establishment,  a trail,  and  eventually  a road,  would 
necessarily  be  made.  It  is  claimed  by  Don  Antonio  Coronel 
that  this  road  or  highway  became  the  44  recognized  high- 
way of  official  travel,”  and  that  it  commenced  in  Guate- 
mala and  ended  first  in  Monterey;  then,  as  the  Missions 
reached  San  Francisco  and  Sonoma,  it  was  extended 
thither.  He  says : 44  it  was  called  either  the  Camino  del 
Rey  or  the  Camino  Real  in  our  Spanish,”  which  being  in- 
terpreted is  44  the  King’s  Highway.”  It  was  never  much 
of  a road  from  the  road-maker’s  standpoint,  but  to  the 
historian,  the  romancer,  the  artist,  it  is  one  of  the  most 
fascinating  highways  in  the  world.  It  did  not  always  stick 
exactly  to  the  same  narrow  boundaries ; when  a tree  fell 
across  it,  a slight  detour  was  made ; when  rain  fell  and 
made  a large  puddle  it  branched  off  to  right  or  left.  Occa- 
sionally some  one  discovered  a 44  short  cut,”  and  then  a new 
road  took  the  place  of  the  old ; but,  in  the  main,  it  remained 
a king’s  highway,  connecting  the  Missions  one  with  an- 
other, and  linking  together  the  little  picturesque  settle- 
ments of  Spanish  and  Indians  that  clustered  around  them. 

When  the  Americans  came  it  was  necessarily  their  main 
line  of  travel ; and  though  slight  changes  have  been  made  in 
it  by  the  rectangular  system  of  denoting  farm  and  other 


380  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


boundaries,  here  and  there  compelling  it  to  a more  strait 
and  rigid  plan,  it  is  still  the  Camino  Real  of  the  Mission 

days. 

And  what  a history  it  has  had.  Though  less  than  a 
century  and  a half  old,  what  changes  it  has  seen.  First 
the  crude  trail,  doubtless,  of  the  original  aborigines,  who, 
in  their  skin  costumes,  with  their  simple  gifts  slung  by 
means  of  rawhide  bands  from  their  foreheads  went  on 
errands  of  friendship  to  neighboring  rancherias.  Now  and 
again  a band  of  deer  or  antelope  would  course  upon  it, 
having  discovered  that  they  were  in  danger  from  hunters. 
Occasionally  a mountain  lion,  a black  bear,  or  a grizzly, 
and  often  a coyote,  a fox,  a badger,  or  that  beautifully 
furred  small  animal  with  the  name  that  suggests  every- 
thing but  agreeableness  in  its  odor,  would  stroll  leisurely 
on  this  man-made  path,  each  and  all  sniffing  significantly 
at  the  footprints  of  the  upright  animal  whose  “ scent  ” so 
often  meant  danger  to  them. 

Then  came  the  padres,  with  their  military  escort.  Aye, 
but  prior  to  that,  perhaps,  in  spots,  this  that  was  ulti- 
mately to  be  the  Camino  Real  had  felt  the  pressure  of  the 
feet  of  Cabrillo  or  Viscaino  or  Drake  or  Cavendish,  — so 
that  these  new  feet  were  not  the  first  of  white  men  to  walk 
upon  its  length.  But  they  soon  became  the  most  familiar. 
Serra,  Crespi,  Portola,  Fages,  Rivera,  — what  a list  of 
names  of  the  earliest  travellers,  the  real  explorers  who 
gave  our  California  to  the  world. 

Then  some  of  those  earlier  scenes ; how  they  come  back. 
After  San  Diego  and  San  Carlos  and  San  Antonio  had 
been  established,  and  Fages  had  been  appointed  governor, 
and  his  autocratic  conduct  had  led  to  two  desertions  from 
the  San  Diego  garrison,  one  of  ten,  the  other  of  five  men, 
this  road  saw  Fages  follow  the  five,  and  saw  them  in- 
trenched, and  heard  their  declaration  that  they  would  never 
be  taken  back  alive.  What  did  that  mean?  Had  tyranny 
already  begun  in  this  to-be-land-of-the-free?  Then  it  saw 


Plate  LXV 


a.  REAR  OF  SAN  GABRIEL  MISSION 


h.  CORRIDORS  AT  SAN  FERNANDO 


THE  CAMINO  REAL 


381 


the  good  Father  Dumetz  come  sadly  yet  eagerly  along, 
pleading  with  both  governor  and  deserters  that  there  be 
no  bloodshed,  and  finally  prevailing  upon  the  five  to  return, 
after  Fages  had  promised  not  to  punish  them. 

From  the  beginning  of  its  real  history,  over  this  King’s 
Highway,  again  and  again,  back  and  forth,  happily  or 
wearily,  according  as  his  extensive  plans  prospered  or 
dragged,  walked  the  sainted  Serra.  Here  he  sang  aloud; 
there  he  sank  upon  his  knees  in  prayer ; yonder  he  wept  in 
anguish  as  the  news  of  some  delay  in  his  beloved  work,  or 
some  Indian  outburst  reached  him. 

This  road  saw  the  coming  of  the  colonists  from  Mexico ; 
heard  their  openly  expressed  hopes,  fears,  expectations. 
As  the  years  rolled  on  it  heard  the  squeak  and  rattle  of 
the  lumbering  carreta  as  elderly  senoras  rode,  accom- 
panied by  gay  Caballeros  clad  in  zarape  and  sombrero, 
riding  on  saddles  of  price,  carved  in  exquisite  design  and 
skilfully  inlaid  with  silver.  And  the  senoritas,  did  they 
stay  at  home?  No!  the  historic  road  saw  them  ride  also, 
always,  of  course,  accompanied  by  their  duennas,  but  by 
no  means  the  less  happy  and  joyous,  though  perhaps  some- 
what less  exuberant. 

Indeed  to  know  the  history  of  the  Camino  Real  is  to 
know  the  history  of  the  California  of  those  days.  Don 
Antonio  Coronel  might  well  say  he  had  a separate  legend 
of  this  highway  for  every  day  in  the  year. 

For  several  years  Augustus  Wey  (Miss  Picher  of  Pasa- 
dena) has  agitated  the  rehabilitation  of  the  Camino  Real. 
With  far-sighted  wisdom  she  saw  that  it  was  not  only  good 
from  the  historic  and  picturesque  standpoint,  but  good 
from  the  business  standpoint.  The  thousands  of  visitors 
that  come  to  California  annually  are  ready  to  be  interested 
in  everything  that  really  appeals  to  their  intelligent  sym- 
pathies; and  the  more  foci  of  interests  there  are,  the  more 
they  enjoy  their  visits  to  the  State.  Later,  Charles  F. 
Lummis,  in  “ Out  West,”  intelligently  presenting  the 


382  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


claims  of  the  Missions,  saw  that  this  was  an  allied  project, 
and  he  has  earnestly  and  consistently  worked  for  it  ever 
since.  At  last  the  automobilists  and  politicians  were  in- 
terested, and  then  the  matter  was  more  widely  agitated. 
It  became  a State  affair.  An  association  was  effected  in 
1904,  with  efficient  officers  and  a State  secretary,  to  push 
the  organizing  of  local  branches  of  the  State  Camino  Real 
Association,  so  that  a definite  plan  could  be  presented  to 
the  legislature.  This  was  done;  the  act  passed,  and  it 
would  have  become  law  had  the  funds  in  the  State  treasury 
justified  the  expenditure  called  for. 

The  State  and  local  organizations  are  still  in  existence, 
and  are  working  more  or  less  energetically,  so  that  it  is 
reasonable  to  hope  that  ultimately  its  aims  will  be  crowned 
with  complete  success,  to  the  honor,  comfort,  and  pleasure 
both  of  the  citizens  of  the  State  and  its  visitors. 


PRESERVATION  OF  MISSIONS 


383 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

THE  PRESERVATION  OF  THE  MISSIONS 

THERE  is  a vast  difference  between  44  restoration  ” 
and  44  preservation  ” of  architectural  landmarks. 
I do  not  know  whether  William  Morris  ever  used 
the  word  44  accursed  ” when  speaking  of  restorations.  He 
certainly  felt  it.  It  is  not  given  to  the  builders  of  one  gener- 
ation to  44  restore  99  the  architecture  of  another  generation. 
The  conditions,  the  feeling,  the  atmosphere  (mental,  not 
physical)  are  changed.  Buildings  that  come  down  to  us 
out  of  the  past,  if  ever  worth  anything,  are  worth  preserv- 
ing,— keeping,  just  as  they  are,  as  a valuable  heirloom 
that  is  not  ours  except  to  look  at,  use,  and  pass  on  to  our 
posterity.  Our  science  is  daily  broadening.  The  theory  of 
evolution  has  materially  enlarged  our  horizon.  It  opened 
a new  door,  leading  into  vast  new  fields  for  thought;  and 
in  one  of  these  fields  we  found  that  all  work  that  man  has 
done  helps  the  workers  of  to-day  better  to  understand  their 
own  work.  Therefore  we  have  awakened  senses  as  to  our 
duty  to  the  historic  remains  of  the  past  and  the  rights  and 
claims  of  those  who  will  come  after  us  to  them. 

The  first  serious  attempt  to  do  anything  towards  the 
preservation  of  the  California  Missions  was  made  by  Miss 
Tessa  L.  Kelso,  the  librarian  of  the  Los  Angeles  City 
Library,  in  about  1888.  She  organized  an  44  Association 
for  the  Preservation  of  the  Missions,”  and  by  stereo pticon 
exhibitions  showing  the  direful  condition  of  the  buildings, 
excursions  to  them,  exhibitions  of  photographs  at  the 
library  and  elsewhere,  the  writing  of  articles,  etc.,  paved 
the  way  for  the  later  more  successful  work  of  the  Land- 


384  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


marks  Club.  Nearly  $100  was  handed  over  to  the  younger 
by  the  older  association. 

In  December,  1895,  Charles  F.  Lummis,  the  editor  of 
44  The  Land  of  Sunshine  ” (now  44  Out  West  ”),  published, 
in  his  magazine,  a forceful  appeal  for  the  preservation  of 
the  Missions.  Among  other  things,  he  said: 

“ There  are  in  this  State  twenty-one  of  the  old  Spanish  Mis- 
sions, besides  their  several  branch  chapels.  Seven  missions 
and  a few  chapels  are  in  Southern  California ; and  these  are  not 
only  the  oldest,  but  historically  and  architecturally  the  most  in- 
teresting. A few  are  re-occupied  and  utilized  for  places  of 
worship.  The  others  have  been  of  necessity  practically  aban- 
doned since  the  secularization.  They  are  not  vital  to  the  Cath- 
olic .church,  now ; but  they  are  everything  to  us,  whether  we 
have  souls  or  pockets.  They  are  all  falling  to  decay ; partly  by 
age,  partly  through  vandalism  and  neglect.  When  the  roof 
goes,  our  swift  winter  rains  do  the  rest.  In  ten  years  from 
now  — unless  our  intelligence  shall  awaken  at  once  — there 
will  remain  of  these  noble  piles  nothing  but  a few  indetermin- 
able heaps  of  adobe. 

“ Now  there  is  not  in  the  civilized  world  another  country  so 
barbarous  that  this  would  be  permitted.  In  poor  old  Spain  the 
very  stables  of  these  deserted  churches  would  be  scrupulously 
preserved.  In  despised  Italy  they  would  be  guarded  as  we 
guard  our  fortunes.  In  hateful  England,  heaven  pity  the  van- 
dal that  should  move  one  stone  from  another  in  them.  In  im- 
moral France,  there  is  at  least  morality  enough  to  hold  sacred 
the  artistic  and  the  venerable.  It  is  only  in  the  Only  Country 
in  the  World  that  such  precious  things  are  despised  and  neglected 
and  left  to  be  looted  by  the  storm  and  the  tourist. 

“ This  is  a new  community,  and  many  things  are  thus  far  for- 
given its  youth ; but  there  will  never  be  pardon  if  we  let  this 
sin  go  further.  We  shall  deserve  and  shall  have  the  contempt 
of  all  thoughtful  people  if  we  suffer  our  noble  missions  to  fall.” 

In  the  following  January  it  was  announced  that  the 
Landmarks  Club  was  incorporated,  and  that,  briefly  stated, 
its  objects  were: 


PRESERVATION  OF  MISSIONS 


385 


“ The  immediate  and  permanent  preservation  from  decay  and 
vandalism,  of  the  venerable  Missions  of  Southern  California  ; the 
safeguard  and  conservation  of  any  other  historic  monuments, 
relics,  or  landmarks  in  this  section ; and  a general  promotion  of 
proper  care  of  all  such  matters.  It  will  be  a function  of  the 
club  to  secure  a permanent  fund  to  be  applied  exclusively  to 
these  objects.” 

The  president  of  the  club  is  Charles  F.  Lummis;  vice- 
president,  Margaret  Collier  Graham;  secretary,  Arthur 
B.  Benton,  114  N.  Spring  St.,  Los  Angeles;  treasurer, 
J.  G.  Mossin;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Stil- 
son,  812  Kensington  Rd.,  Los  Angeles.  The  annual 
membership  fee  is  $1.00. 

In  February  it  was  announced  that  a lease  had  been 
secured  of  San  Juan  Capistrano,  and  work  undertaken 
under  the  direction  of  Mr.  R.  Egan,  who  for  many  years 
had  made  many  personal  efforts  towards  its  preservation. 

The  lease  covers  all  the  buildings  which  are  in  need  of 
care,  with  the  necessary  ground  and  rights  of  way,  and  a 
preference  to  the  club  as  purchaser  in  case  the  property 
should  ever  be  for  sale.55 

In  November  the  club  reported  that  it  had  replaced  the 
broken  roof  of  sycamore  poles  on  the  old  adobe  church, 
built  by  Serra,  at  San  Juan  Capistrano,  with  Oregon  pine 
and  the  original  tiles,  so  that  it  is  now  likely  to  be  saved 
for  many  years.  Asphaltum  was  also  placed  on  the  roof 
of  the  four  hundred  feet  of  cloisters.  Excellent  work  had 
also  been  done  on  the  kitchen,  — its  stone  vault  secured 
with  iron  tie  rods,  and  re- roofed.  “ Through  it  was  the 
main  entrance  to  the  patio , or  inner  court.  This  was 
broken  down,  but  has  been  substantially  repaired.55 

Further  work  has  been  done,  as  funds  have  come  in,  and 
now  San  Juan  is  reasonably  well  preserved  against  the 
ravages  of  the  weather. 

San  Fernando  was  next  attacked;  and  on  September  9, 
1897,  the  Landmarks  Club  and  its  friends  enjoyed  an 

25 


S86  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


excursion  thither,  not  only  to  commemorate  the  centennial 
of  the  founding  of  the  Mission,  but  also  to  personally 
inspect  the  method  followed  by  the  club  in  restor- 
ing these  historic  memorials;  and  its  president,  writing 
afterwards,  called  attention  to  an  important  fact.  He 
said : 

“ One  of  the  features  of  the  outing  (and  significant  as  show- 
ing what  sort  of  a valley  the  Franciscan  frailes  picked  out  a 
hundred  years  ago)  was  the  fact  that  many  of  the  excursionists 
sat  down  to  lunch  on  the  enormous  pile  of  sacked  wheat,  cov- 
ered with  straw,  which  is  now  in  front  of  the  Mission  — a pile 
worth  $57,000,  from  the  harvest  of  the  Porter  Land  and  Water 
Co.  It  is  not  everywhere  that  one  finds  such  a table.” 

In  November  a temporary  and  protecting  shake  roof  was 
placed  over  the  adobe  church,  but  a severe  storm  wrecked 
it,  and  it  had  to  be  replaced.  The  exterior  of  the  old  mon- 
astery has  been  put  in  excellent  condition,  and  further  work 
is  being  projected. 

In  1899  brick  foundations  were  put  under  some  of  the 
ruined  walls  at  San  Diego,  and  cement  cappings  on  the 
wasting  ones.  About  $500  was  expended;  and  it  is  safe 
to  say  that  had  not  this  been  done,  nothing  but  a pile  of 
melting  adobe  would  now  remain  of  this,  the  most  inter- 
esting, historically,  of  all  the  Missions,  on  account  of  its 
priority. 

At  San  Luis  Rey  the  club  has  given  some  aid  to  Father 
O’Keefe  in  his  heroic  efforts. 

At  Pala  the  chapel,  sacristy,  and  priest’s  room  have  been 
re- roofed,  the  rafters  being  pine  poles  hauled  from  the 
slopes  and  summit  of  Mount  Palomar.  Of  the  tiles  used, 
eight  hundred  were  donated  by  two  ladies  of  the  Agua 
Tibia  Ranch,  which  once  protected  the  buildings  at  San 
Luis  Rey,  and  which  were  hauled  away  by  the  Indian 
founder  of  the  ranch,  Manuel  Cota,  some  sixty  years  be- 
fore, when  the  secularization  decree  led  to  the  abandonment 


Plate  LXYI 


Copyright,  1900,  by  O.  P.  Thresher 


PRESERVATION  OF  MISSIONS 


387 


of  that  glorious  Mission.  Others  were  purchased  from 
scattered  ranches,  whither  they  were  brought  at  the  same 
time  of  spoliation. 

The  interior  of  the  chapel  was  also  “ cleaned  and  re- 
habilitated,” to  use  the  words  of  the  president  of  the  Land- 
marks Club,  “ with  great  care  not  to  disturb  any  of  the 
old  Indian  frescos.” 

It  was,  therefore,  all  the  more  unfortunate  that  an  alien 
and  unsympathetic  priest  should  not  have  been  warned  that 
any  attempt  to  interfere  with  them  on  his  part  would  be 
resented.  Knowing  nothing  of  their  history,  he  presump- 
tuously swept  them  out  of  existence,  without  consulting 
any  one,  by  covering  them  with  whitewash. 

It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  there  are  no  salaries  in 
the  Landmarks  Club.  All  the  work  is  done  for  love,  and 
to  preserve  these  memorials  for  the  future.  While  there 
may  be  criticism  as  to  the  work  done,  and  the  methods  fol- 
lowed, — such  criticism  is  to  be  expected  in  the  very  nature 
of  things,  — there  can  be  no  question  as  to  the  great  value 
of  the  work  accomplished  as  a whole ; and  Mr.  Lummis  is 
deserving  of,  and  should  receive,  the  grateful  thanks  of 
the  whole  nation  for  the  work  that  has  been  accomplished 
under  his  direction. 

In  the  fall  of  1902  the  California  Historical  Landmarks 
League  was  organized  in  San  Francisco  with  the  following 
officers:  president,  Joseph  R.  Knowland;  vice-presidents, 
S.  W.  Holladay,  Mrs.  Geo.  Law  Smith ; corresponding  sec- 
retary, Mrs.  Laura  Bride  Powers,  421  Larkin  St.,  San 
Francisco;  assistant  secretary,  Mrs.  J.  J.  Donnelly;  finan- 
cial secretary,  James  A.  Devoto;  treasurer,  Henry  S. 
Martin. 

The  “ Native  Sons  of  the  Golden  West  ” contributed 
$1100  to  the  treasury  of  the  new  organization,  and  the 
“ Native  Daughters  of  the  Golden  West  ” have  also  given 
material  aid.  Mr.  W.  R.  Hearst,  of  the  San  Francisco 
“ Examiner,”  has  thrown  the  influence  of  his  paper  towards 


388  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


the  movement,  and  as  a result  of  these  united  efforts  the  old 
Mission  building  of  San  Francisco  Solano,  at  Sonoma, 
has  been  purchased,  and  work  has  already  been  commenced 
for  the  preservation  of  what  remains  at  San  Antonio  de 
Padua. 


HOW  TO  REACH  THE  MISSIONS  389 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

HOW  TO  REACH  THE  MISSIONS 

SAN  DIEGO.  From  Los  Angeles  to  San  Diego,  Santa 
Fe  Railway,  126  miles,  fare  $3.85  ; round  trip  $6.00, 
good  four  days,  or  $7.50,  good  30  days,  with  stop- 
over privileges,  which  allows  a visit  to  San  Luis  Rey  and 
Pala  (via  Oceanside)  and  San  Juan  Capistrano.  Or  steam- 
ship, $3.00  and  $2.25 ; round  trip,  first  class,  $5.25.  The 
Mission  is  six  miles  from  San  Diego,  and  a carriage  must 
be  taken  all  the  way,  or  the  electric  car  to  the  bluff,  fare 
five  cents;  thence  by  Bluff  Road,  on  burro,  two  miles,  fare 
fifty  cents.  The  better  way  is  to  drive  by  Old  Town  and 
return  by  the  Bluff  Road. 

San  Luis  Rey.  From  Los  Angeles  to  Oceanside,  Santa 
Fe  Railway,  85  miles,  fare  $3.15 ; round  trip,  Saturday  to 
Monday,  $4.50.  Take  carriage  from  livery,  or  walk  to 
Mission,  4 miles.  The  trip  to  Pala  may  be  taken  at  the 
same  time,  though  there  are  no  sleeping  accommodations 
to  be  had  at  Pala.  Meals  may  be  had  at  one  or  two  of 
the  Indian  houses,  as  a rule. 

San  Juan  Capistrano.  From  Los  Angeles  to  Capis- 
trano, Santa  Fe  Railway,  58  miles,  fare  $1.80.  The  Mis- 
sion is  close  to  the  station.  Hotel  accommodations  are 
poor. 

San  Gabriel.  From  Los  Angeles  to  San  Gabriel, 
Southern  Pacific  Railway,  8 miles,  fare  25  cents.  Or  elec- 
tric car  from  Los  Angeles,  25  cents. 

San  Fernando.  From  Los  Angeles  to  San  Fernando, 
Southern  Pacific  Railway,  22  miles,  fare  65  cents.  Thence 


390  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


by  carriage  or  on  foot  or  horseback  to  the  Mission,  l£ 
miles.  Livery  and  hotel  at  San  Fernando. 

San  Buenaventura.  From  Los  Angeles  to  San  Buena- 
ventura, Southern  Pacific  Railway,  83  miles,  fare  $2.50. 
Or  steamship,  $2.35,  special,  Saturday  to  Monday,  $3.00 
round  trip.  Electric  cars  from  Southern  Pacific  Station 
pass  the  Mission. 

Santa  Barbara.  From  Los  Angeles  to  Santa  Barbara, 
Southern  Pacific  Railway,  fare  $3.35,  special  round  trip, 
Saturday  to  Monday,  $3.50.  From  San  Francisco  to 
Santa  Barbara,  370  miles,  Southern  Pacific  Railway,  fare 
$13.40  and  $11.65.  Street  car  passes  the  Mission. 

Santa  Ines.  This  is  not  on  the  line  of  any  railway. 
It  can  be  reached  from  Santa  Barbara,  25  miles,  by 
carriage,  or  from  Los  Olivos,  four  miles,  by  stage.  Los 
Olivos  is  on  the  line  of  the  Pacific  Coast  Railway.  To 
reach  it  take  Southern  Pacific  Railway  to  San  Luis  Obispo, 
change  cars.  It  is  then  66  miles  to  Los  Olivos,  fare  $3.00. 
The  better  way  is  to  go  by  Southern  Pacific  to  Lompoc, 
take  carriage  and  visit  the  site  of  Old  La  Purisima,  then 
Purisima,  then  drive  to  Santa  Ines  and  return.  With  a 
good  team  this  can  be  done  in  a day.  Distance  25  miles. 

La  Purisima  Concepci6n.  Go  to  Lompoc  on  the  coast 
line  of  the  Southern  Pacific  either  from  Los  Angeles  (187 
miles,  $7.05)  or  San  Francisco  (313  miles,  $10.70).  Car- 
riage from  livery  to  the  ruins  of  Old  Purisima,  thence  to 
the  later  one,  five  miles. 

San  Luis  Obispo.  Southern  Pacific  Railway  from 
either  Los  Angeles  (230  miles,  $9.10)  or  San  Francisco 
(253  miles,  $7.65),  or  steamship  to  Port  Hartford  and  the 
Pacific  Coast  Railway,  211  miles,  $6.50.  The  Mission  is 
in  the  town. 

San  Miguel.  The  Mission  is  but  a few  rods  from  the 
Southern  Pacific  Station,  reached  either  from  Los  Angeles 
(273  miles,  $10.85)  or  San  Francisco  (208  miles,  $5.95). 
By  far  the  better  way,  however,  is  to  go  to  Paso  Robles, 


HOW  TO  REACH  THE  MISSIONS  391 


where  one  can  bathe  in  the  hot  springs  so  noted  even  in 
Indian  days,  while  enjoying  the  hospitalities  of  one  of  the 
best  hotels  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  Carriages  may  be  secured 
from  one  of  the  livery  stables.  From  here  visit  Santa 
Isabel  Ranch  and  Hot  Springs  (which  used  to  belong  to 
San  Miguel),  then  drive  16  miles  to  San  Miguel.  On 
account  of  the  completeness  of  its  interior  decorations,  this 
is,  in  many  respects,  especially  to  the  student,  the  most 
interesting  Mission  of  the  whole  chain. 

San  Antonio  de  Padua.  It  is  a twenty-mile  stage  ride 
from  King’s  City,  on  the  line  of  the  Southern  Pacific  (21 6 
miles  from  Los  Angeles,  $12.00)  to  Jolon  (fare  $2.00),  the 
quaintest  little  village  now  remaining  in  California,  which 
is  practically  the  gateway  to  Mission  San  Antonio  de 
Padua.  At  Jolon  one  secures  a team,  and,  after  a six- 
mile  drive  through  a beautiful  park,  dotted  on  every  hand 
with  majestic  live  oaks,  — ancient  monarchs  that  have 
accumulated  moss  and  majesty  with  their  years,  — the 
ruins  of  the  old  Mission  come  into  view.  From  San  Fran- 
cisco to  King’s  City  is  161  miles,  fare  $1.65. 

La  Soledad.  The  Mission  is  four  miles  from  the  town 
of  Soledad  on  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway.  From  Los 
Angeles,  337  miles,  fare  $12.00.  From  San  Francisco, 
111  miles,  fare  $1.50.  Round  trip,  six  months’  limit, 
$8.00.  Livery  from  Soledad  to  the  Mission. 

San  Juan  Bautista  is  six  miles  from  Sargent’s  Station 
on  the  Southern  Pacific.  Two  stages  run  daily,  fare  $1.00 
for  the  round  trip.  Visitors  may  be  accommodated  at  the 
Plaza  Hotel,  conducted  by  William  Haydon.  From  Los 
Angeles  to  Sargent’s,  391  miles,  fare  $11.15.  From  San 
Francisco  87  miles,  fare  $2.35. 

San  Carlos  Carmelo,  Monterey.  The  old  presidio 
church  is  in  the  town  of  Monterey,  and  reached  by  car-line 
from  Hotel  del  Monte  or  the  town.  San  Carlos  Carmelo 
is  about  six  miles  from  Monterey,  and  must  be  reached  on 
horseback  or  by  carriage.  By  far  the  best  way  is  to  stop 


392  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA 


at  either  Hotel  del  Monte  or  Hotel  Carmelo,  Pacific  Grove, 
and  then  on  taking  the  seventeen-mile  drive,  make  the  side 
trip  to  San  Carlos.  To  Monterey  from  San  Francisco,  on 
Southern  Pacific  Railway,  is  126  miles,  fare  $3.00.  Fri- 
day to  Tuesday  excursion,  round  trip,  $4.50.  From  Los 
Angeles  to  Monterey,  Southern  Pacific  Railway,  398  miles, 
fare  $14.25. 

Santa  Cruz.  It  is  well  to  go  from  San  Francisco  on 
the  narrow  gauge,  80  miles,  Southern  Pacific,  and  return 
on  the  broad  gauge,  121  miles.  Fare  on  either  line  $3.80. 
On  the  narrow  gauge  are  the  Big  Trees,  at  which  an  inter- 
esting stop  over  can  be  enjoyed. 

Santa  Clara.  While  there  is  a city  of  Santa  Clara 
it  is  better  to  go  to  San  Jose  (the  first  town  established  in 
California),  and  stay  at  Hotel  Vendome,  and  then  drive 
or  go  by  electric  car,  down  the  old  Alameda  to  Santa  Clara 
Mission,  3|  miles. 

Mission  San  Jose.  So  called  to  distinguish  it  from  the 
city  of  San  Jose.  By  Southern  Pacific  Railway  from  San 
Francisco  to  Irvington,  34  miles,  fare  85  cents.  Or  from 
the  city  of  San  Jose,  14  miles  by  Southern  Pacific,  or  a 
pleasant  carriage  drive.  From  Irvington  to  the  Mission 
three  miles,  stage  twice  daily,  fare  25  cents. 

San  Francisco  de  Asis.  Is  on  Sixteenth  and  Dolores 
St.,  three  miles  from  Palace  Hotel.  Take  Valencia  or 
Howard  St.  electric  cars. 

San  Rafael.  There  is  nothing  left  at  San  Rafael  of 
the  old  Mission.  The  town  is  reached  by  North  Pacific 
Coast  Railway,  18  miles,  or  California  Northwestern,  15 
miles,  fare  35  cents. 

San  Francisco  Solano.  In  the  town  of  Sonoma. 
Reached  by  North  Pacific  Coast  Railway,  43  miles,  fare 
$1.00. 


Other  Books  by  George  Wharton  James 

IN  AND  AROUND  THE  GRAND  CANYON 
OF  THE  COLORADO  RIVER  IN  ARIZONA 

With  twenty-three  full-page  plates  and  seventy-seven 
pictures  in  the  text.  8vo.  Cloth.  $2.50 

The  volume,  crowded  with  pictures  of  the  marvels  and 
beauties  of  the  Canyon,  is  of  absorbing  interest.  Dramatic 
narratives  of  hairbreadth  escapes  and  thrilling  adventures, 
stories  of  Indians,  their  legends  and  customs,  and  Mr.  James’s 
own  perilous  experiences,  give  a wonderful  personal  interest 
in  these  pages  of  graphic  description  of  the  most  stupendous 
natural  wonder  on  the  American  Continent.  — Philadelphia 
Public  Ledger. 

THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  PAINTED 
DESERT  REGION 

With  sixteen  full-page  pictures  and  fifty  half -page  illustrations 
from  photographs.  Crown  8vo.  Decorated  cloth.  $2.00  net, 

A most  absorbing  account  of  personal  adventures  and 
joumeyings  in  the  Western  deserts  and  close  association  with 
various  Indian  tribes  of  the  present  day,  illustrated  with  many 
photographs,  including  a remarkable  series  of  views  of  the 
famous  “ snake  dance.”  — Publishers  Weekly. 

The  book  is  really  a study  of  the  home  and  social  life  of 
some  of  the  most  interesting  tribes  on  the  American  con- 
tinent.— Unity , Chicago. 


IN  PREPARATION  — A Companion  Volume  to  “In  and  Out 
of  the  Old  Missions  of  California” 

IN  AND  OUT  OF  THE  OLD  MISSIONS  OF 
NEW  MEXICO,  ARIZONA,  TEXAS 
AND  LOWER  CALIFORNIA 

An  Historical  and  Fictorical  Account  of  the  Jesuit  and 
Franciscan  Missions  of  the  Southwest 


LITTLE,  BROWN,  & CO.,  Publishers 

251  WASHINGTON  STREET,  BOSTON 


Books  by  George  Wharton  James 


In  and  Out  of  the  Old  Missions 
of  California 

An  Historical  and  Pictorial  Account  of  the  Frances- 
can  Missions.  With  one  hundred  forty- two  illustra- 
tions, including  full-page  plates,  from  photographs. 
8vo.  Cloth.  $3.00  net. 

THE  present  volume  stands  as  the  authority  on  the  old 
missions  of  California.  Indispensable  as  a guide-book, 
and  is  filled  with  most  valuable  material.  — San  Francisco 
Argonaut.  The  author  has  devoted  careful  study  to  the 
matter  of  architecture,  and  to  the  furniture  and  decorations 
of  the  historic  and  ancient  structures ; but,  in  addition  to  this, 
the  work  is  made  interesting  by  the  relative  matters  that 
have  a more  human  interest.  — St.  Louis  Globe-Democrc  l. 


The  Wonders  of  the  Colorado 
Desert  — Southern  California 

With  colored  frontispiece,  thirty-two  full-page  plates, 
and  more  than  three  hundred  pen  and  ink  sketches 
from  life  by  Carl  Eytel.  2 vols.  8vo.  Cloth.  $5.00  net. 

lli’R.  JAMES  has  given  the  first  adequate  description  of 
Li-m-  one  0f  most  fascinating  regions  of  this  country. 
The  wonderful  rivers,  lofty  mountains,  deep  canyons,  varied 
life  and  history  of  the  Colorado  Desert  in  Southern  California 
are  vividly  set  forth,  together  with  an  account  of  a recent 
hazardous  journey  made  down  the  overflow  of  the  Colorado 
River  to  the  mysterious  Salton  Sea.  The  pen  and  ink  sketches 
by  the  artist  are  an  important  feature  of  this  book. 


LITTLE,  BROWN,  & CO.,  Publishers 

254  WASHINGTON  STREET.  BOSTON 


